Koli Christians

Koli Christians
Koli Christians
ईसाई कोळी
	Chapel of Jesus, Worli Koliwada, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Christian Kolis
Classification	Koli people
Kuladevta (male)	Sacred Name of Jesus Christ
Kuladevi (female)	Mount St Mary
Nishan	Christian cross
Religions	Christianity
Languages	Bombay East Indian dialect; Konkani; Koli: Kachi Koli; Parkari Koli; Wadiyara Koli; ; English; Hindi-Urdu (Bombay Hindi); Damaon and Dio Portuguese creole;
Country	India
Original state	Maharashtra; Goa; Gujarat; Damaon;
Ethnicity	Marathi-Konkani
Population	9000 (1989)
Feudal title	Patil; Gaonpatil;
Related groups	Goan Christians, Mangalorean Christians & Karwari Christians
Status	Endangered
Kingdom (original)	Portuguese Bombay, Colaba state etc.

Koli Christians are Koli people who profess Christianity in India, they are part of the Koli caste of Bombay East Indians, who are the indigenous ethnic people of the Seven Islands of Bombay, the Bombay metropolitan area & the northern Konkan region; in which lies the city of Mumbai (Bombay). The Koli Christians continue to hold on to some of their Koli customs/ values as the part of Koli caste, in spite of their conversions from Brahmanism to Christianity & in the former Bom Bahia of Portuguese India. Christian Kolis are also known as Thankar & Gaonkar Kolis; they played an important role in building churches & convents in the northern Konkan division of present-day Maharashtra.