Christianity in Maharashtra
Christianity is a minority religion in Maharashtra, a state of India. 79.8% of the population of Maharashtra are Hindus, Christian adherents being 1.0% of the population. The Roman Catholic archdiocese whose seat is in Maharashtra is Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay. There are two different Christian ethnic communities in Maharashtra: one is East Indians who are predominantly Roman Catholic and another is Marathi Christians, predominantly Protestant with a small Roman Catholic population. The catholics in Maharashtra are mainly concentrated in coastal Maharashtra, specially Vasai, Mumbai, Raigad and are known as East Indians, were evangelised by Portuguese missionaries during 15th-16th century. Protestants, who reside throughout the Maharashtra, being significant in Ahmednagar, Solapur, Pune Aurangabad and Jalna are called Marathi Christians, Who are more recent converts evangelised by British and American missionaries during British rule in India. The Church of North India has dioceses in the state and is a large Protestant church with full communion with the Anglican Church.
History
Christianity was brought to the North Konkan region of Maharashtra by St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. Pantaneus visited India about AD 180 and there he found a Gospel of Matthew written in Hebrew language, left with the Christians there by St. Barthlomew. This is mentioned by Church historian Eusebius, and by St. Jerome in one of his letters.[1] A flourishing Christian Community in the 6th Century was mentioned by Kosmos Indicopleustes and Jordanus, who worked among the Christians in Thana and Sopara areas in the 13th Century. The French Dominican friar, Jordanus Catalani of Severac (in south-western France) started evangelizing activities in Thana and Sopara was the first work of Rome in North Konkan.[2]
Most history of the Church in India was lost between the 9th and the 14th Century, as Persia went over to the Nestorianism in 800 AD. Since the provision of Church offices and all the apparatus of public worship was looked to a foreign source, the Indian Christians were reduced to "nominal" Christians when this foreign aid was withdrawn.[1] When Dominican and Franciscan Missionaries arrived in the 1300s with the intention of preaching the Gospel, they were surprised to find a small Christian community already in existence. Protestant Missionaries first arrived in Maharashtra from England and America in 1813.
East Indians
East Indians are an ethno-religious group which resides in the former North Konkan district, Mumbai, Vasai, Virar, and other parts of Thane. Christianity was first installed by St. Bartholomew, one of Jesus Christ's apostles. Due to shortage of priests for many years, the locals were reduced to being "nominal Christians". it was due to the arrival of Portuguese and with them Jesuit missionaries who spread a new form of Christianity called Roman Catholicism in the area. The name East Indians was taken during British Rule to differentiate native Catholics from other Catholics from Goa and Mangalore who came to Mumbai in search of jobs, on the occasion of golden jubilee of Queen Victoria.
They are engaged in agriculture, fishing and other rural occupations handed down to them by their ancestors. East Indians have their own village in Mumbai known as Gaothan, which is surrounded by the main city. East Indians are more anglicized than the rest of Maharashtrian Christians, although they speak East Indian language as mother tongue. Portuguese influence can be seen in their language and culture. Portuguese used to rule the area for centuries.
Marathi Christians
Marathi Christians are predominantly Protestant with small numbers of Roman Catholics.They belong to several Protestant denominations, but mainly the Church of North India.British Missionary William Carey was instrumental in translating the Bible into Marathi language.
In Maharashtra, protestant Christians are mainly converts from Hinduism and some from Islam.The first protestant mission to India was the American Marathi Mission.[3] The main center of protestant activity in maharashtra region during British colonial rule was in Ahmadnagar district The first Protestant mission in the district was opened in 1831 by the American Marathi mission in early 1800s.
In Maharashtra, the Protestant missionaries concentrated not only on direct evangelism but also founded numerous small vernacular schools. Missionary John Wilson built Wilson College, Mumbai.
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, Mangalsutra 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 and Kirtan. He showed Christian faith in a genuinely Indian way.
List of denominations
Notable Marathi Christians
- Chandu Borde, a former cricket player from the Pune district. He played for the Indian cricket team in 83 matches between 1958 and 1969. His younger brother Ramesh was also a noteworthy cricket player.
- Vijay Hazare, a cricket player from the Solapur district. He captained the Indian cricket team in fourteen matches between 1951 and 1953. He also captained Baroda, with whom he won the Ranji Trophy in 1959. Hazare is considered by many to be one of the best middle-order bats to play for India.
- Shahu Modak, a Marathi/Hindi movie actor from Ahmednagar. He primarily acted as Lord Krishna in 29 mythological films.
- Baba Padmanji, a Brahmin and a Christian convert. An author of over 100 books, his Yamunaparyatan is considered the first novel of Marathi literature.
- Pandita Ramabai (1858 – 1922) - a social reformer, activist, Sanskrit scholar and evangelist. She was born a Brahmin and later converted to Christianity.
- Lakshmibai Tilak (1868 -1936) - wife of Narayan Wamanrao Tilak, was a writer who received recognition for her autobiography Smruti Chitre (स्मृतिचित्रे). When her husband died in the process of writing Khristayana (क्रिस्तायन), a Marathi epic about the life of Jesus, she completed it, adding 64 chapters of her own.
- Narayan Wamanrao Tilak (1861 – 1919) -Marathi poet born in Maharashtra as Brahmin. He converted to Christianity, and later wrote many Christian songs and bhajans in Marathi. He edited the American Marathi mission magazine, Dnyanodaya for many years. He was the husband of Lakshmibai Tilak.
- Harish Salve, renowned Jurist.
- N. K. P. Salve, former Union Minister and Congress Leader from Vidarbha.
- Rajanikant Arole, Magasayse award winner and Padmabhushan.
- Vinod Kambli, a former cricket player for India and Mumbai, converted to Christianity recently. Many consider him one of the most talented middle-order batsman to ever play for India.
References
- Baptista, Elsie Wilhelmina (1967). The East Indians: Catholic Community of Bombay, Salsette and Bassein. Bombay East Indian Association.. Contents taken from East-Indians –- History (PDF, 80 KB) article, has been borrowed mainly from Elsie Wilhelmina Baptista's above book.
- Thana District Gazeeteer Part - I: Popualation:Christians-History
- H. L. Richard (1998). Following Jesus in the Hindu Context: The Intriguing Implications of N.V. Tilak's Life and Thought. William Carey Library. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-87808-288-9.
- World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 368-371
- http://www.calicutnet.com/variety/dir/manufacturing/pioneer-audio-visual.htm
- http://wikimapia.org/11019778/The-Pentecostal-Mission-Ghorpadi
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