East Indians are an ethno-religious group which resides in 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 Manglore 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 Marathi as mother tongue. Portuguese influence can be seen in their language and culture. Portuguese used to rule the area for centuries.
Read more about this topic: Christianity In Maharashtra
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“Ah! on Thanksgiving day, when from East and from West,
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—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)
“The Indians feel that each stage is crucial and that the child should be allowed to dwell in each for the appropriate period of time so that every aspect of his being can evolve, just as a plant evolves in the proper time and sequence of the seasons. Otherwise, the child never has a chance to master himself in any one phase of his life.”
—Alan Quetone (20th century)