"Power to save" New Testament selection (SAZIBT)

Overview

The Sourashtra people are a community of silk weavers whose ancestry traces to Surat in Gujarat. Known among themselves as "Pattunoolkarargal" (the silk people), they experienced significant displacement from 1024 AD onward following invasions from the northwest, eventually settling in regions across Tamil Nadu — particularly Madurai, Salem, and Tanjore — where they integrated with Tamil culture while maintaining their distinct linguistic heritage. Their migration path took them through Dasaavaram, Devagiri, Vijayanagar (from 1412 AD), Tanjore (1532 AD), and Madurai (1623 AD during Thurumalai Nayakkar's reign). The community's current population is estimated at approximately two million (20 lakhs).

This 2001 New Testament selection, titled "Power to save," represents scripture translation work for a community that has preserved its language across centuries of migration. The Sourashtra language has its own script and a rich oral and written tradition. IBT India has also supported Bible translation milestones for this community, including the dedication of the Book of Psalms in the Sourashtra language.

Language and People

Saurashtra (ISO 639-3: saz) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by approximately two million people, primarily in Tamil Nadu, India. It has its own script (Sourashtra script), though it is also written in Tamil and Devanagari scripts.

Publishing and Organizations

Published 2001 in India.

References