With over 110 years of activity there are only 300 Baha'is in Mumbai, India.

History of the Baha'i faith in Bombay, India:

The first Baha'is in Mumbai were members of the Afnan family, who had set up a business in the city. In 1872, the Afnans requested Baha’u’llah to send a teacher to Mumbai. Jamal Effendi was sent in response to this request and arrived in Mumbai in 1883.

Over time, many prominent people taught the Baha'i faith in Mumbai, including Mirza Mohammed Ali, the son of Baha'u'llah, and Mirza Hadi Shirazi, the father of Shoghi Effendi. These individuals, who later broke the so-called Covenant of Baha'u'llah, played an important role in spreading the Baha'i faith throughout the city.

Additionally, the Afnan family established a printing press in Mumbai, which was used to print Arabic and Persian Baha'i books. These books were then shipped to other regions, including Persia and Egypt, to help spread the teachings of the Baha'i faith even further. In general, the initial phase of the Baha'i faith in Mumbai was defined by the endeavors of a notable group of people who worked towards persuading the Indians to accept the Baha'i faith. Subsequently, the formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly took place in Bombay in 1911.

Bombay Baha'i Community in 1932

Several other important figures who visited Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) to encourage local Baha'is to teach their religion, were Hands of the Cause, including Mr. Faizi, Dr. Mohajer, Dorothy Baker, Mr. Samandari, Mr. Khazeh, and Mr. Khadem.

Ruhiyyih Khanum visited Bombay in 1973

In addition to the visits from the Hands of the Cause, Ruhiyyih Khanum, the wife of Shoghi Effendi, visited Bombay for a conference in 1973. This was an important event for the local Baha'i community, as Ruhiyyih Khanum was a highly respected and influential figure for the Baha'is, and her visit likely served to inspire and encourage them in Mumbai.

What is the current situation of the Baha'i community in Mumbai?

Bombay Baha'i Community celebrating the festival of Ridvan

We received an email from a disenchanted senior Baha'i residing in Mumbai, which stated that the number of Baha'is in the city are currently below 200 in number. According to the letter, a vast majority of individuals who were once Baha'is, just like the descendants of Baha'u'llah, have now converted to other religions. It was also mentioned that only a small group of less than 70 active Baha'is currently participate in the Ridvan Elections.

What is the cause of this downfall?

While most religions are based on faith and spirituality, there are some cults that rely on deceit and manipulation to draw in new members. Baha'i faith is one such cult that exaggerates the size of its membership and claims to be a “world religion”. Baha'i faith is a prime example of how a cult can be used to manipulate and deceive people.

At the heart of the Baha'i faith is a false claim that it has millions of members worldwide. This number is far greater than the actual number of members, which is likely in the thousands. To bolster this claim, Baha'is have used clever marketing strategies to make it seem larger than it really is. For example, it has created numerous websites and other online presences, all of which purport to represent it's worldwide membership.

In addition to exaggerating the size of its membership, Baha'is also use deceptive tactics to lure people into joining. Baha'i faith makes false promises of unity of religion and the unity of mankind. It promises that the membership will bring about the most great peace!

Lies exposed:

The truth always has a way of coming out, and in the case of the Baha'i faith, their lies have finally been exposed. In 2017, the Indian Express published a news by the Baha'is claiming that there are 2500-3000 Baha'is in Mumbai. However, in 2023, the cult has been exposed as having only 300 members. (Check the report by Free Press Journal on Ayyan-i-Ha celebrations in Mumbai). In 2019 also, there were only 300 Baha'is! (Check DNA report) This significant difference in numbers begs the question: what else has this cult been lying about?

It is not uncommon for the Baha'is to lie about the size of their communities or the success of their Institute Process to keep their members and potential new recruits hooked. In this case, the cult's lies about its membership numbers are a clear indication of its manipulative tactics.

Sources:

2023 - https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-four-days-of-spirituality-charity-mark-intercalary-days-for-bahais

2019 - https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-mumbai-bahais-spend-time-in-prayers-fast-for-spiritual-nourishment-2726496

2017 - https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bahai-founders-200th-birth-anniversary-today-4900699/