India Church Records: Difference between revisions

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Parish maps can help you determine which parish to search. Maps will reveal neighboring parishes to search if your ancestor is not listed in the parish where you expected him or her to be. See [[India Maps]] for more information.  
Parish maps can help you determine which parish to search. Maps will reveal neighboring parishes to search if your ancestor is not listed in the parish where you expected him or her to be. See [[India Maps]] for more information.  
=== Religious records - Hindu Pilgrimage or Bahi ===
Research use: Establishes individual identity and linkage back many generations.  Indexes by name facilitate research.
Record type: Hindu Pilgrimage or Bahi: Record of Hindus who make pilgrimages to sacred centers in India where certain religious rituals or ordinances are performed.
Time period: Some written records date back as far as the 15th Century.  However, the great majority are of the 18th Century to the present.
Contents: Name of Pilgrim, caste/occupation, birthplace, or family origin, present residence, father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc., sometimes going back many generations on both the maternal and paternal sides.  Often names of sons, brothers, nephews, and cousins are given, each relationship being carefully and precisely indicated.  Date of visit or register entry is given.
Location: Located in the homes and “offices” of the Panda (Hindu combination priest-businessman) in cities and towns scattered all over India but primarily in the North.  The sacred centers are located in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.  Most of the centers are in Uttar Pradesh.  There is one site in the south in the area of the city of Madura in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Population coverage: 42%
Reliability: Excellent<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: India,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1997.</ref>
=== Religious records - Muslim ===
Research use: Establishes individual identity and linkage back many generations.  There may be indexes which will facilitate the use of the records.
Record type: Muslim Pilgrimage or Vahi: Record of Muslim pilgrims who visit certain centers in India where rituals are performed.
Time period: 1400 to present
Contents: Undetermined at present.  Likely to be similar to Hindu Bahi.
Location: Northern India in homes and “offices” of Muslim family bards.
Population coverage: 10%
Reliability: Excellent<ref name="profile"/>
=== Church records - Christian parish records ===
Record type: Baptisms, marriages, and burials.  Includes not only British, and European members, but native Indians as well.
Time period: 1700 to present.
Contents: Burial records give date and place of death and deceased name, if in the military has detachment, if a mariner the name of his ship, if a colonist the words “inhabitant”.  European nationality was given if not English and if a native Indian the words “India Man” were used.  Initially no age was given however, if an infant it was so noted.  Cause of death given.  Christenings, baptisms and births are often mixed together in the register.  The event’s date, the name and sex of the child, it’s father’s name and sometimes that of the mother is given as is European nationality if other than English.  The marriage records show date and place of marriage, full name of bride and groom except in the case of an Indian woman where only a European first name is given, the groom’s military affiliation if any and the word “inhabitant” was generally noted.
Percent in Family History Library: Approximately 90%
Population coverage: About 3% of the Indian population.  Virtually 100% of the Christians are found in these records.  However, not all are extant.  Catholic records in the Goa are being filmed at this time.  Also there may be original church records for which transcripts have not been made and Included with the India Office records.
Reliability: Good<ref name="profile"/>
=== Church records - Islamic marriages ===
Research use: Establishes individual identity and linkage back two generations.  Theoretically generations could be identified back to when the keeping of the record started.
Record type: Islamic marriage (civil registration) record or Kadi: A marriage record kept of Islamic marriages.
Time period: 1500 to present
Contents: Names, ages, and residences of bride and bridegroom.  Names and sometimes occupation of father and grandfather.  Date of event.  Signature of bridegroom.  Names and residences of witnesses and names of witnesses fathers.  Amount of dower money.
Location: Located in Mosques and in the houses of the Kazi who is the marriage registrar and judge.
Population: 10%
Reliability: Excellent<ref name="profile"/>


=== Locating Church Records  ===
=== Locating Church Records  ===
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*[[India Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
*[[India Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]


[[Category:India]][[Category:Church records by Country]]
== References  ==
 
{{reflist}}
 
[[Category:India]] [[Category:Church_records_by_Country]]
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