Maharashtrian Christian

There is unique identity of Maharashtrian Christians also called as Marathi Christian in India. They commonly speaks Marathi language as their Mother tongue, they also speak English for communication. Maharashtrian Christians are descendants of the thousands of original inhabitants of North Konkan, West Maharashtra, Ahmednagar, Vasai,solapur, Thane and Raigad Districts. The total of Christians in Maharashtra is only 1.5%.

Majority of Maharastrian Christians is Roman Catholic But there is Protestants in some Parts of Maharashtra, specially in Ahmednagar& Solapur. these are the only districts in Maharastra which has majority of Protestant Christians as compared to Catholics. They are also called Marathi Christians [ [http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Diocese_of_Poona | Ahmednagar Christians ] ] "'.

There is the first Church in Ahmednagar which was built by the British Missionaries in Miri [ [http://anglicanhistory.org/india/chatterton1924/14.html |History of Ahmednagar] ] (a small village in Pathardi Taluka). Every village has its own Church for Worship in Ahmednagar. Most Protestant denominations are represented in Ahmadnagar as a result of missionary activities throughout the state. The largest Protestant Denomination in Ahmadnagar is the Church of North India, Haregaon village in Shrirampur taluka of Ahmednagar district is set to receive thousands of devotees on the occasion of the annual 'yatra' (feast) of the 'Matmauli' The blessed virgin Mary. on September 7th & 8th. Haregaon is often described as the pandharpur of the Marathi-speaking catholics in the state as nearly four lakh devotees from ahmednagar, Pune,Nasik, Aurangabad [ [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Poona] ] . districts and Mumbai attend the 'Matmauli yatra' every year to celebrate the birthday of the mother of jesus christ. the jesuit priests in the small village had started the feast in 1949

History

Christianity spread in Ahamednagar & Southern part of Mahrashtra in early 1800 A.D. By the British Missionaries. & American missionaries. Since 1947 a Union of presbyterian, reformed Congregational, Methodist, and Anglican Congregations.In Maharashtra, the great Marathi poet Narayan Wamanrao Tilak realised that a Hindu-Christian synthesis was simply not possible unless the Christian religion had deep rooted in the Indian culture. He trained the Marathi Christians to worship and sing Bhajans and Kirtans. He showed Christian faith in a genuinely the Indian cultural way. [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayan_Wamanrao_Tilak | Narayan wamanrao Tilak] ]

The Percentage of Christian Population in Ahmednagar, as recorded in the Census of 1881 in the old Gazetteer, was only 0.64% whereas it went up to 2.49% in 1901 and 2.72% in 1961 and in 2000 it increased to 10%. [ [http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Ahmadnagar/people_religion.html | Original Inhabitants of Ahmednagar, ] ] This increase is mostly due to the proselytising activity of various Christian Missionaries.The litracy rate is very high Among Ahmednagar Christians and They are well settled in Mumbai, Pune and Nasik areas.

Culture

There are similarities of customs and culture between Hindus and Christians in Ahmadnagar, such as dress, food and cuisine. The Hindu custom of wearing a mangalsutra and placing bindis is still prominent among native Christians. Other religious traditions in Ahmednagar Christians are much the same as elsewhere. However, there is neglect of Christians by the government of Ahmednagar, which caused underdevelopment and unemployment among some Christians.

East Indian

On the West Coast of India the Christians are called as East Indians. who embraced Catholicism during the period 1200-1600 due to the misionary work of european fransciascans and jesuits. The East Indians are Fluent in Marathi and English.

History

Pope John XXII in 1329 has acknowledged the presence of christians when he addressed letters to the Christians of 'Konkan-Thane, Sopara (Now, Nala Sopara), from 1321 onwards. [ [http://www.east-indiansuae.com/cgi-bin/blog/index.cgi | pop john xxii ecknoledge east indian] ] The Apostle St. Bartholomew was reputed to have come to kalyan. Which means there were Christians Maharashtra even in the 1st Century. Many more European and middle-east missionaries had come to Konkan (Thane, Bombay, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurga districts) between 1st and 12th Century.

The British East India Company designated them with the name East Indians during the Diamond Jublilee Celebrations of Queen Victoria in 1887 to distinguish them from the Goan and Manglorean Catholics who came to Bombay in search of jobs and who had similar surnames as Catholics of North Konkan, West Maharashtra. Before 1887 East Indians did not have a fixed or all embracing designation so obviosly they referred to themselves as Catholics or Christians. [ [http://www.east-indians.com/marriagesongs.htm The East Indian Community | Original Inhabitants of Bombay, Salsette & Thana ] ]

See also

* Kupari
* Marathi people
* East Indian
* Portuguese India

References

External links

* [http://www.east-indians.com/ East-Indians.com]
* [http://www.east-indians.net/ East-Indians.net]
* [http://www.eastindiansongs.com/ eastindiansongs.com]
* [http://www.eastindians.blogspot.com/ eastindians.blogspot.com]
* [http://www.east-indians.com/marriagesongs.htm]