India likely has the largest and most diverse mixture of races of any country. All of the five major racial types — Australian, Mongoloid, European, Caucasian, and Negroid — find representation among the people of India.

Known as the "Land of Maharajas", India has more than eleven Hindu shrines, four of which are in Andhra Pradesh, and thirteen Jain shrines. India's major religions include Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism.

India is a vast country

More than 600,000 towns and villages and a population of 1,014,003,817 make up present day India. Approximately 83% live in rural, remote, and economically-depressed areas. In fact, more than one-third (334 million) are too poor to afford an adequate diet.

India boasts of 325 distinct languages and ten major religions, the primary one being Hindu (80%), followed by Muslim (14%), Christian (2.4%), Sikh (2%), and Buddhist (1%). There are 23,000 castes (classes) and sub-castes.

***Most of India's one billion people have never heard the name of JESUS!***

Our pastors minister in eight districts in Andhra Pradesh as well Mumbai (Bombay) in the Raigarh district, Maharashtra.

Andhra Pradesh is rich in historical monuments and many temples and shrines to pagan deity. Tirupati in the Chittoor district houses one of the most famous temples in India. The presiding deity is known as the Venkateswara.

Hindu festivals such as Dasara, Deepavali, Sri Ramanavami, Krishna Janmastami, Vinayaka Chavithi (Ganesh Chaturthi), and Maha Sivarathri are celebrated in the state. However, as the Indian government professes religious tolerance, they also permit Muslim festivals such as Bakrid and Id-ul-Fitr and Christian holidays like Christmas, Easter, and New Year's Day. The celebrations of Ugadi (Telugu New Year's day), Sankranti, Dasara, and Vinayaka Chavithi are unique in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Maharashtrians are racially and ethnically heterogeneous. Descendants of a warrior tribe, the people of Maharashtra are honest, hard working, and hospitable. Filled with a zest for living and always on the move, their regard for women is legendary.

Maharashtra, predominantly a Hindu society, with Ganesha as the principal deity, is also home to a host of other religious groups, including the Parsi community. Marathi, Hindi and Gujarati are widely spoken in this state. Other important languages are Telugu, Kannada, Sindhi, Urdu, Bengali, Malayalam, and English.

Maharashtra's religious diversity reflects that of India as a whole. Hindus predominate, followed by Muslims and Buddhists. There are many Christians in the metropolitan cities. Parsis (a religious minority adhering to Zoroastrianism) live mainly in Bombay and its environs; a few are found in other cities. Other religious minorities include Jainas and Sikhs, whose small communities are widespread.