Marathi Christians are an
Ethno-religious community of the
Indian state
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions.
History
Pre-indepen ...
of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
who accepted Christianity during the 18th and 19th centuries during the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, and later, the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
. Conversions to
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
were a result of
Christian missions
A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
such as the American Marathi Mission,
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...
and the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
's
United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG) is a United Kingdom-based charitable organization (registered charity no. 234518).
It was first incorporated under Royal Charter in 1701 as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Part ...
.
History
Around the turn of the 18th century,
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
William Carey was instrumental in translating the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
into the
Marathi language
Marathi (; ''Marāṭhī'', ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the official language of Maharashtra, and additional official language in the state o ...
. Most of the converts were lower-caste
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
with some upper-caste Hindus and
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
.
Ahmednagar
![Ahmadnagar Church](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Ahmadnagar_Church.JPG)
The
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most imp ...
established their first foreign mission with the American Marathi mission in
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
on 21 December 1813, it was the first
Protestant Mission
A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
in
Western India
Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of its western part. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative division includes the states of Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra along with the Union te ...
and spread into hundreds of villages. The mission center moved from Bombay to
Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...
in 1831 because it was closer to the center of Marathi country. Schools, Boardings, Colleges and theological institutions were created by Marathi mission in late 1800, aiding famine and reaching untouchables increased Christian Converts in area.
Christians of
Ahmednagar district
Ahmednagar district (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ɦ(ə)məd̪nəɡəɾ is the largest districts of Maharashtra, district of Maharashtra state in western India. The historical Ahmednagar city is the headquarters of the district. ...
account for nearly 10% of district's population, a significant number of whom are located in the eastern part of the district in places such as
Nevasa
Nevasa is a city in Nevasa tehsil of Ahmednagar district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Old name of this place are Nidhinivas, Nivas and Mahalaya Also town of lord Kuber.
Sant Dnyaneshwar Temple is main temple.
This place is near of P ...
,
Pathardi,
Shevgaon,
Rahuri
Rahuri is a town and a municipal council in Ahmednagar district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Geography
Rahuri is located at . It has an average elevation of 511 metres (1676 feet).
Demographics
India census, Rahuri had a po ...
and
Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...
itself.
Palghar
European and American missionaries established missions in
Palghar
Palghar () is a town in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, India and a municipal council. It is in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and since 2014 it has been the administrative capital of the Palghar district. Palghar lies on the West ...
and
Dahanu
Dahanu (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, əɦaːɳuː is a coastal town and a municipal council in Palghar district of Maharashtra, Maharashtra state in Konkan division. It is located 110 km from Mumbai city and hosts Adani Power’s ...
in
Palghar district
Palghar District (Marathi pronunciation: aːlɡʱəɾ is a district in the state of Maharashtra in Konkan Division.
On 1 Aug 2014, the State government of Maharashtra announced the formation of the 36th district of Maharashtra Palghar, it was ...
. Most of the converted Christian community from these areas are local native belong to the Second District of the Church of the Brethren (F-257 Bom).
Aurangabad
Aurangabad is home to The
Roman Catholic Diocese of Aurangabad
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Aurangabad ( la, Aurangabaden(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Aurangabad in the ecclesiastical province of Nagpur in India.
History
On the 17 of December, 1977 Paul VI promulged the papal bull ''Qui a ...
which has its
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
and Bishop’s House located in the Cantonment Area. The
Diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
covers the whole of
Marathwada
Marathwada () is a proposed state and geographical region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurangabad division of Maharashtra. ...
and works mainly in field of
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
,
Health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
, and
social work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
.
Yavatmal
The American Free Methodist Church maintains missions at
Yavatmal
Yavatmal ( is a city and municipal council in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Yavatmal District. Yavatmal is around 90 km away from divisional headquarters Amravati while it is away from the stat ...
,
Wani
Wani may refer to:
*Vani (custom), a child marriage custom in tribal areas of Pakistan
*Wani (dragon), a Japanese dragon translated as "sea monster", "crocodile", or "shark"
*Wani (scholar), a legendary scholar, sent from Korea to Japan during the ...
,
Umri,
Rajur
Rajur is a census town in Yavatmal district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Rajur is also known as Rajur Colliery. Geography
Rajur has an average elevation of 741 metres (2431 feet).
Demographics
India census, Rajur had a po ...
and Darwah.
Pune
The city of Pune is home to the headquarters of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pune. The Diocese has a significant Marathi Catholic population.
There are several Marathi Methodist, Anglican, Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Church of the Nazarene, Pentecostal and Church of Christ missions across the city.
Culture
There are similarities of customs and culture between Hindus and Marathi Christians, such as dress, food and cuisine. The Hindu custom of wearing
Saree
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various Languages of South Asia, regional languages include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી ...
,
Mangalsutra
A mangala sutra (), or thaali (ISO: ''tāḷi''), is a necklace that the groom ties around the bride's neck in the Indian subcontinent, in a ceremony called ''Mangalya Dharanam'' (). The necklace serves as a visual marker of status as a ma ...
and placing
Bindis is still prominent among native Christians. Marathi Christian highly retain their Marathi culture, and they have kept their Pre-Christian surnames. In Maharashtra, great Marathi poet
Narayan Wamanrao Tilak realised that a Hindu-Christian synthesis was simply not possible, unless the Christian religion had deep roots in the Indian culture. He trained the Marathi Christians to worship and sing
Bhajan
Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...
and
Kirtan
Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts ...
.
Notable people
*
Pandita Ramabai
Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati (23 April 1858 – 5 April 1922) was an Indian Social Reformer. She was the first woman to be awarded the titles of '' Pandita'' as a Sanskrit scholar and ''Sarasvati'' after being examined by the faculty of the Unive ...
*
Narayan Waman Tilak
Narayan Vaman Tilak (6 December 1861 – 9 May 1919) was a Marathi poet from the Konkan region of then Bombay Presidency in British India, and a famous convert to Christianity from Chitpavan Brahmin Community.
Life
Narayan Tilak was bor ...
*
Shahu Modak
Shahu Modak (25 April 1918 – 11 May 1993) was an Indian actor who acted in many Hindi as well as Marathi movies. Shahu Modak was mostly famous for the mythological characters that he played. He mostly played the roles of Krishna, and Jñāneś ...
, a Marathi/Hindi movie actor from Ahmednagar. He primarily acted as Lord
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
in 29 mythological films.
*
Baba Padmanjii, a Brahmin and a Christian convert. An author of over 100 books, his ''Yamunaparyatan'' is considered the first novel of
Marathi literature
Marathi literature is the body of literature of Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Maharashtra and written in the Devanagari and Modi script.
History Ancient Era
Maharashtri Prakrit was the southern Prakrit tha ...
.
*
Harish Salve
Harish Salve ( Marathi : हरीश साळवे) KC is an Indian senior advocate who practices at the Supreme Court of India. He served as the Solicitor General of India from 1 November 1999 to 3 November 2002. He also fought the case o ...
, renowned Jurist.
*
N. K. P. Salve, former Union Minister and Congress Leader from Vidarbha.
*
Rajanikant Arole, Magasayse award winner and Padmabhushan.
*
Chandu Borde
Chandrakant Gulabrao "Chandu" Borde (born 21 July 1934), is a former cricketer who was a member of the Indian team between 1958 and 1970. Following his retirement, Borde became a cricket administrator, serving as the Chairman of national selec ...
, a former cricket player from the Pune district. He played for the
Indian cricket team
The India men's national cricket team, also known as Team India or the Men in Blue, represents India in men's international cricket. It is governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and is a Full Member of the International ...
in 83 matches between 1958 and 1969. His younger brother Ramesh was also a noteworthy cricket player.
*
Vijay Hazare
Vijay Samuel Hazare (11 March 1915 – 18 December 2004) was an Indian cricketer. He captained India in 14 matches between 1951 and 1953. In India's 25th Test match, nearly 20 years after India achieved Test status, he led India to its first ...
, a
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
player from the Solapur district. He captained the Indian cricket team in fourteen matches between 1951 and 1953. He also
captained Baroda
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capital ...
, with whom he won the
Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy (also known as Mastercard Ranji Trophy for sponsorship reasons) is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between multiple teams representing regional and state cricket associations. Board of Control for Cr ...
in 1959. Hazare is considered by many to be one of the best
middle-order bats to play for India.
*
Vinod Kambli
Vinod Kambli (; born 18 January 1972) is a former Indian international Cricketer, who played for India as a left-handed middle order batsman, as well as for Mumbai and Boland, South Africa. Kambli became the first cricketer in cricket history ...
, a former Indian international Cricketer, who played for India as a left-handed middle order batsman, as well as for Mumbai and
Boland, South Africa. Kambli converted to Catholicism after his second marriage.
See also
*
Christianity in Maharashtra
Christianity is a minority religion in Maharashtra, a state of India. 79.8% of the population of Maharashtra are Hinduism, Hindus, Christian adherents being 1.0% of the population. The Roman Catholic archdiocese whose seat is in Maharashtra is Ro ...
*
Kupari
The Kupari (from pt, compadre referring to the godfather of one's godchild; word derived from ''Kumpari'' and feminine being ''Kumari'' or Portuguese; '' comadre'') consist of Kadodi Christians and Samvedi Christians, whixh are a Roman Cathol ...
*
Marathi people
The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...
*
Portuguese India
The State of India ( pt, Estado da Índia), also referred as the Portuguese State of India (''Estado Português da Índia'', EPI) or simply Portuguese India (), was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a se ...
*
List of Indian Christians
References
{{reflist
Christian communities of India
Christianity in Mumbai
Ethnic groups in Mumbai
Social groups of Maharashtra
Ethnoreligious groups in India
Maharashtra