koli - The people from the sea

Mumbai is named after Mumbadevi, the goddess of the Koli fishermen, consiered to be the oldest inhabitants of Mumbai.These tribal people were the original Mumbaikars who settled on the seven islands that nowadays make up the huge city of Mumbai. For centuries the Koli people have lived in symbiosis with the ocean harvesting the deep sea crops and selling fish on the markets as they continue to do today. But the Kolis are now facing difficult times as the huge city with its concrete skyscrapers, traffic and pollution is closing in on them. Silently, the Kolis are now themselves falling prey to urbanization and modern development that surrounds them and as they struggle to keep their traditions alive, other threats are slowly emerging among their own rows

The Koli fisher… Local fishermen… A fisherman hea… Fisherman bring… An elderly Koli… Koli hanging on… Landing the cat… … Sorting out the…

Keywords mumbai bombay fishermen fising koli native tribe