History
Most Marathi Christians converts from Hinduism, as a results of Christian missions such as the American Marathi Mission, Church Mission Society, and the Church of England's SPG Mission. Around the turn of the 19th century, British Baptist missionary William Carey was instrumental in translating the Bible into the Marathi language. Literate Hindu converts from high castes, such as Brahmin, often served as religious instructors to others.
In Ahmednagar, several such Hindus converted to Christianity, such as Ramkrishna Modak, a Chitpavan Brahman and ancestor of Marathi actor Shahu Modak, and Narayan Waman Tilak. Although today the Ahmednagar district has a fairly large number of Christians, these people identify as Indians first and Christians second. Addressing the aggressive American Marathi Mission, Tilak said "Pack up yea your belongings and be gone, if you do not love this sacred land of Hindus."
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