I.C. Colony (Immaculate Conception Colony) is a large colony situated in the suburbs of Borivili, also spelled Borivali, in the North Western face of Mumbai, Maharashtra, Republic of India. The name is derived from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, or I.C Church, which is at the South Eastern entrance of the colony. It is surrounded by other smaller colonies such as LIC Colony, Madonna Colony and Marian Colony & Rishi Complex . The colony was built around the IC Church(Immaculate Conception Church) and this is where the name of the colony also came from. The Postal Index Number for the colony is 400 103.
Borivali has an old Church, this is one of the oldest churches in Mumbai, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Mt. Poinsur, also called IC church.
The original IC church was built in 1547 AD by the Franciscans. The Franciscan Fr, Antonio Do Porto earlier owned the village of Mount Poinsur. Soon the Franciscan bought the neighboring villages of Pare(Goregaon) and Arrangal around 1556AD-1559AD. Adjoining the Church they also built a Royal College and Monastery in 1549, the ruins of which are still standing close to the present Church building.
Around 1630 there was about 1500 parishioners in the villages of Mount Poinsur, Dhainsa(Dahisar), Simpor, Canary(Kanheri) and Cassor. It was around this time that the name of the church was changed to OUR LADY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION from OUR LADY OF PIETY.
The Mandapeshwar Caves had been used by the Franciscans as a crypt of the Church and later Served for the Parishioners.
During the Maratha invasion of 1739 AD, Mount Poinsur was Captured and the Franciscans dispersed. The Church, Friary and College was pillaged and left in ruins. The following 150 years saw the already damage structure disintegrate into further ruins.
This church existed even before 200 yrs of the arrival of the Marathas in this region. The Maratha’s surely fought the Mughals and British with courage. This church was destroyed during the battle between the Marathas and the British. Its Indian followers were here even before any of invasions but had to suffer and flee from their land. The entire land in that time from Dahisar to Andheri belonged to the church. These people were made to run away from their own land by the Marathas as they thought that they shared a religion with the British.
Then in 1888 AD, through the efforts of the people form Bandra and under the guidance of the Dean of Thane, Fr. Joao Bras Fernandes rebuilt the old parish Church and since then it has been functioning.
There is also a Marathi speaking Protestant congregation called Methodist Marathi Church Borivali - in I C Colony
The Church is surrounded by many colonies such as I.C Colony, LIC Colony, Madonna Colony, Marian Colony and Kanderpada. Just next to this church is Saint Francis D'Assisi High School. This is also one of the oldest schools in Mumbai. Mary Immaculate Girls' High School, one of the best school for girls, is located in I.C. Colony. This area has the highest concentration of Christians in Mumbai. I.C Colony, an area to the South of the Immaculate Conception Church is populated by a very large congregation of Catholics in Mumbai. The Holy Cross Colony and extension (also called I.C. extension) which extends beyond I.C Colony towards Dahisar (Mumbai's last zone before Thane District) is also part of the extended Catholic locale. the street is known as Holy Cross Street. Many old mansions can be found here though most are now broken down to make way for buildings.
A great number of shops have come up . One may get the best of fast food , vada pav the Indian version of burger.