{"id":9421,"date":"2021-06-19T17:47:44","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T17:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/?p=9421"},"modified":"2021-07-01T14:02:54","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T14:02:54","slug":"mumbai-koliwadas-and-gaothans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/mumbai-koliwadas-and-gaothans\/","title":{"rendered":"Mumbai: Koliwadas and Gaothans"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fish

Photo by Ishay Botbol from Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

The Kolis<\/a> are one of Mumbai’s oldest communities<\/em> \u0938\u092c\u0938\u0947 \u092a\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0928\u0947 \u0938\u092e\u0941\u0926\u093e\u092f living in Koliwadas. Their industry <\/em>\u0909\u0926\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0917 which is fishing is instrumental in determining<\/em> \u0928\u093f\u0930\u094d\u0927\u093e\u0930\u0923 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u0939\u093e\u092f\u0915 the coastline of Mumbai. There was another<\/em> \u090f\u0915 \u0914\u0930 community that flourished<\/em> \u0928\u093f\u0916\u0930\u093e back in the day. These natives communities \u092e\u0942\u0932 \u0928\u093f\u0935\u093e\u0938\u0940 \u0938\u092e\u0941\u0926\u093e\u092f <\/em>are called the Gaothans<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This post will take a look at not only the Koliwadas<\/em> \u0915\u094b\u0932\u0940\u0935\u093e\u0921\u093c\u093e but also the Gaothans<\/em> \u0917\u094c\u0925\u093e\u0928\u094d\u0938 around Mumbai. There are 128 Gaothans and 36 Koliwadas at present in Mumbai. Mumbai natives look upon them as heritage \u0935\u093f\u0930\u093e\u0938\u0924<\/em> communities.<\/p>\n

Hamlets and Farms by the Sea<\/h2>\n

The Kolis live in Koliwadas which are tiny hamlets<\/em> \u091b\u094b\u091f\u0940 \u092c\u0938\u094d\u0924\u093f\u092f\u093e\u0902 located close to the Arabian Sea. These small bungalows<\/em> \u091b\u094b\u091f\u0947 \u092c\u0902\u0917\u0932\u0947 were constructed during the time of the Portuguese<\/em>\u092a\u0941\u0930\u094d\u0924\u0917\u093e\u0932\u0940\u00a0 in India. In the 15th and 16th centuries the Portuguese gave up islands in the south of Mumbai for fertile farm lands in the north. These spaces grew from Vasai, all the way to Bandra and Mahim. But according to one of the Koli fishermen, their history<\/em> \u0907\u0924\u093f\u0939\u093e\u0938 goes back 2000 years.<\/p>\n

Muslims, Hindus, and Christians live together<\/em> \u0938\u093e\u0925 \u0938\u093e\u0925 in these communities. They speak the Koli dialect Agri. They also communicate<\/em> \u0938\u0902\u0935\u093e\u0926 in Mumbai Hindi.<\/p>\n

A Gaothan (Gao = village, than = site) is land that originally<\/em> \u092a\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0930\u092e\u094d\u092d\u0924\u0903 housed the residents who worked in the rice paddies<\/em> \u091a\u093e\u0935\u0932 \u0915\u0940 \u0927\u093e\u0928 all over Maharashtra. The rice paddies were situated on low<\/em> \u0928\u0940\u091a flatlands while the Gaothans were located<\/em> \u0938\u094d\u0925\u093f\u0924 on higher land. These villages have well-documented histories and are marked with churches<\/em> \u0917\u093f\u0930\u091c\u093e\u0918\u0930 <\/em>or temples. The bungalows are old<\/em> \u092a\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0928\u093e but now considered heritage properties.<\/p>\n

Portuguese or British?<\/h2>\n

The population consists of Kolis (Fisherfolk), Kunbis (farmers), Bhandaris (toddy tappers), and Agris (salt pan owners).\u00a0 These communities took on the name of East Indians \u092a\u0942\u0930\u094d\u0935\u0940 \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f during Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. East Indians Catholics identified \u092a\u0939\u091a\u093e\u0928 \u0915\u0940 as British subjects, while the Goan Catholics identified as Portuguese subjects.<\/p>\n

Political and Industrial Aspirations<\/h2>\n

The early ’70s saw a rise<\/em> \u0935\u0943\u0926\u094d\u0927\u093f in population in the urban<\/em> \u0936\u0939\u0930\u0940 areas of Maharashtra, especially Mumbai. As a result, many high-rise buildings \u0907\u092e\u093e\u0930\u0924\u094b\u0902 replaced the Gaothans.<\/p>\n

The restaurants<\/em> \u092d\u094b\u091c\u0928\u093e\u0932\u092f and retail establishments sprung up all over bringing traffic<\/em> \u092f\u093e\u0924\u093e\u092f\u093e\u0924 and annoyances. Bright shiny shops replaced some of the quaint front doorways \u0926\u0930\u0935\u093e\u091c\u0947.\u00a0 The nostalgic owners of these bungalows-turned-flagship-stores struggle to keep the ambiance<\/em> \u092e\u093e\u0939\u094c\u0932 of their beloved Gaothan.<\/p>\n

To add insult<\/em> \u0905\u092a\u092e\u093e\u0928 to injury, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation proposed to designate these Gaothans and Koliwadas, the status<\/em> \u0938\u094d\u0925\u093f\u0924\u093f of a slum. This proposal has not been taken well by the owners<\/em> \u092e\u093e\u0932\u093f\u0915. This is because they pay taxes just like all residents of Mumbai. Also, they have historic land agreements <\/em>\u0910\u0924\u093f\u0939\u093e\u0938\u093f\u0915 \u092d\u0942\u092e\u093f \u0938\u092e\u091d\u094c\u0924\u0947, some dating back to 1857.<\/p>\n

These hamlets were built by low caste laborers in rural areas initially because they could not afford the expensive land areas in South Mumbai. Upper caste Catholic converts built the heritage bungalows with sloping Mangalore tiled roofs and large balcaos, largely influenced by Portuguese architecture.\u00a0 The typical Gaothan or Koliwada has grottos, churches and crosses besides these bungalows. Today, many of these bungalows house big brand<\/a> names of fashion apparel and home decor.<\/p>\n

Where are they today?<\/h2>\n

Today, the Gaothan and Koliwada are surrounded<\/em> \u0918\u093f\u0930\u0947 by glitz and glamor. Mumbai airport and large<\/em> \u0935\u093f\u0936\u093e\u0932 malls have come up in some areas. The residents have seen their livelihoods<\/em> \u0930\u094b\u091c\u0940 \u0930\u094b\u091f\u0940 shrink and to survive they add floors to original structures<\/em> \u092e\u0942\u0932 \u0938\u0902\u0930\u091a\u0928\u093e\u090f\u0902, renting them out.<\/p>\n

Residents are campaigning \u091a\u0941\u0928\u093e\u0935 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u091a\u093e\u0930 to keep the simplicity intact, arguing that the infrastructure will not support<\/em> \u0938\u0939\u092f\u094b\u0917 a concrete jungle. The Kolis organize seafood festivals, while groups are calling for the return of lands to the original owners. Our hope<\/em> \u0906\u0936\u093e is that the government takes notice and preserves while restoring these pieces of history and culture.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

The Kolis are one of Mumbai’s oldest communities \u0938\u092c\u0938\u0947 \u092a\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0928\u0947 \u0938\u092e\u0941\u0926\u093e\u092f living in Koliwadas. Their industry \u0909\u0926\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0917 which is fishing is instrumental in determining \u0928\u093f\u0930\u094d\u0927\u093e\u0930\u0923 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u0939\u093e\u092f\u0915 the coastline of Mumbai. There was another \u090f\u0915 \u0914\u0930 community that flourished \u0928\u093f\u0916\u0930\u093e back in the day. These natives communities \u092e\u0942\u0932 \u0928\u093f\u0935\u093e\u0938\u0940 \u0938\u092e\u0941\u0926\u093e\u092f are called the Gaothans. This…<\/p>\n

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