The East Indian Community comprises of the local aborignal people of Bombay who though belonging to different caste have bound themselves together by their Christian (Catholic) faith and adopted the name of The East Indians of Bombay
Why is it East Indian of Bombay and not Mumbai
An East Indian is a living historian of the true name of Bombay, regardless of political affliations.
An East Indian truly called Bombay, Mobai, and not Mumbai.
To an East Indian, Mobai was specifically the island of Bombay (i.e 1 of the 7 islands of Bombay). Bombay was initially made up of 7 islands covering the present area from Mahim to Collaba. The 7 islands of Bombay were Mahim, Parel, Worli, Mazagaon, Bombay, Old Woman's island and Colaba.
East Indians of Bombay covered the native christians/catholics who resided within the range of the former state of Bombay. Hence, the seven islands of Bombay, the islands of Salsette (Bandra, Juhu, Versova, Salsette, Erangal, Manori-Dharavi), Vasai, Parts of Thana, Chaul, Revdanda...
Hence, it is imperative the the name be retained as East Indians of Bombay from the point of view of the geographical coverage as well as from the view of this name (the East Indians of Bombay) predating the recent politically motivated name changing, under the guise of its demand being made by "original people", without as much defining what an orignal person is, nor taking a referandum of original people whether they was a name change.
What religion do the East Indian follow ?
The East Indians follow the Christian faith. They were first evangilised by Christs Apostle St. Bartholomew and many other before the advent of the Portuguese.
The Portuguese brought these into the Roman Catholic faith. it has to be understood that the term Roman Catholism, came about in the 17th Century.
there are various documents by travellers as well as Church Scholars, that show a thriving Christian population around Thana and Kalyan.
Hence, even though this community took the name of East Indian in 1887, they were baptised as Roman Catholics by the Portuguese, and were amoung the first of people who were evangilised to by St. Bartholomew.
Historically, the East Indians would also be still be called original christians like those in the south who were evangilised by St. Thomas. Except that the East Indians got baptised into the Roman Catholic Faith by the Portuguese.
