Marathi People - Religion

Religion

The majority of Marathi people are Hindus. Although Krishna in the form of Vithal is the most popular deity amongst Marathi Hindus, they also worship the Shiva family deities such as Shankar and Parvati under various names and also Ganesh. The Warkari tradition holds strong grip on local Hindus of Maharastra. The public Ganesh festival started by Lokmanya Tilak in the late 19th century is very popular. Marathi Hindus also revere Bhakti saints of all castes, such as Dnyaneshwar (Brahmin), Savata Mali (Mali), Eknath (Brahmin), Tukaram (Moray Marathi-Kunbi), Namdev (Shimpi-Artisan, Vaishya) and Chokhamela (Mahar).

There are also significant minorities of Muslims, Christians, Jains and Buddhists. Most Marathi Buddhists are followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar and adopted Buddhism in the last sixty years.

Christians account for 3% of the Maharashtra population. Christianity arrived in Maharashtra in the 13th century through Portuguese Jesuit missionaries. Most of Maharashtrian Christians are Catholics and whilst some adhere to Protestantism especially in Ahmednagar.

Marathi Muslims belong mostly to the Sufi tradition. Visiting the tombs of Sufi saints is very important to this community. Hindus also visit these tombs in great numbers, especially during the annual Urs.

There is a 3,000 strong community of Marathi Jews, popularly known as Bene Israel. Most of the rest have migrated to Israel. Before the migration this community numbered at least 90,000.

Maharashtra has highest Jain population to total population ratio in the country (1.3%).

The oldest inscription in Maharashtra is a 2nd century BCE Jain inscription in a cave near Pale village in the Pune District. It was written in the Jain Prakrit and includes the Navkar Mantra.

The first Marathi inscription known is at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka near the left foot of the statue of Bahubali, dated 981 CE.

Maharashtra had many Jain rulers such as the Rashtrakuta dynasty and the Shilaharas. Many forts were built by kings from these dynasties and thus Jain temples or their remains are found in them. Texts such as the Shankardigvijaya and Shivlilamruta suggest that a large number of Maharashtrians were Jains in the ancient period.