Worli Koliwada Walk, Mumbai
Mumbai is a city obsessed with the new, but this walk begins with the people who were here long before the skyline came up. As part of The Locavore’s Mumbai Koli Project (MKP), participants joined Khaki Tours for a slow, attentive walk through Worli Koliwada, a living fishing village that continues to exist in the shadow of some of the city’s most aggressive urban development.
MKP is an impact campaign inspired by the documentary film Against the Tide. It aims to spotlight Mumbai’s original fisherfolk, the Koli community, and their evolving relationship with the sea, while encouraging Mumbaikars to make more sustainable, seasonal, and inclusive seafood choices.
The walk began on a busy arterial road, traffic thundering past, before quickly slipping into lanes that narrowed, softened, and grew more vibrant. The gullies of the Koliwada were alive with colour, conversation, and everyday ritual. The first pause was at a statue of Mother Mary, dressed not in familiar blue-and-white robes, but in a traditional Koli saree with gold jewellery. This was not ornamentation for novelty’s sake. It reflected a long, layered history of Koli Christian life, shaped by Portuguese influence yet firmly rooted in local customs.
Faith takes many forms in Worli Koliwada, from a saree-clad statue of Mother Mary to tulsi pots shaped like fishing boats, revealing the layered, lived spirituality of the village. Photos by Rhea Dangwal.
As participants moved deeper into the settlement, the syncretic nature of the village became evident. Hindu Koli homes sat alongside those of East Indian Catholics, with differences made legible through everyday iconography. Lanes were dotted with tulsi pots shaped like fishing boats, and small chapels where statues of Jesus stood on boat-shaped altars. There were temples dedicated to Betal and Shani Dev tucked into residential corners.
The guide was knowledgeable, generous, and deeply respectful of the space the group moved through. Using photographs, maps, and archival material, he helped contextualise the social and historical distinctions between Indigenous communities of this coastline, including Kolis, Agris, and East Indian Catholics.
Along the way, participants passed the Ekveera Temple nestled within a residential structure, open for people to stop and pay their respects. For the Kolis, Ekveera Aai is a deity and guardian of both land and sea, worshipped as a protective mother figure. Fishing families often pray to her before heading out to sea, seeking safety and a good catch.
The group then made its way to the fish market, where the pace shifted noticeably. The smell of salt and fish, the rhythm of sorting and selling, and the easy familiarity between buyers and sellers offered an intimate glimpse into a working ecosystem that remains central to the village’s economy.
One of the most arresting moments came as the participants walked their way to the edge of the bay. Some boats were pulled up for repair, nets were spread out to dry. Behind lay the dense village; ahead, across the water, a skyline of glass towers rose into the clouds. The contrast offered a powerful illustration of the pressures Worli Koliwada continues to face, from land grabbing to rapid infrastructural expansion.
A village at the water’s edge and a skyline across the bay, a stark reminder of the pressures Worli Koliwada faces as the city burgeons around it. Photos by Rhea Dangwal.
The walk culminated at Worli Fort, built by the British in 1675. Once part of a defensive network guarding the coast alongside Mahim and Bandra Forts, the fort today offers one of the city’s most unexpected vantage points. From its ramparts, participants could see the Bandra-Worli Sea Link from a rare angle, along with Mahim Bay and the working shoreline below. Boats bobbed in the water, fish dried on makeshift lines, and the chaotic city briefly felt held at a distance.
This walk was a nod to the fact that Mumbai’s story did not begin with reclamation or real estate, but with the sea, and with communities like the Kolis who continue to live by it.
The Mumbai Koli Project is the official impact campaign of the documentary film Against the Tide, led by The Locavore in close collaboration with Sarvnik Kaur, Ganesh Nakhawa, and Sonia Parekh. It is supported by the Doc Society’s Climate Story Fund which enables independent media storytelling and impact strategies from around the world.
Learn more about the Mumbai Koli Project here.
Explore other walks with Khakhi Tours here.
At The Locavore, we love planning and executing events that highlight India’s diverse local foods, celebrating community, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Our events feature engaging workshops, discussions, immersive experiences and other formats that connect you to India’s rich food culture. Interested in collaborating or having us organise an event? Reach out at connect@staginglatest.thelocavore.in.
