[1] These songs are deeply rooted in the community's lifestyle, religious practices, and emotional experiences, often reflecting the daily struggles and celebrations of the Kolis, who are traditionally fishermen and agriculturists.
Koli songs are characterized by their rich variety of themes, including religious devotion, social rituals, emotional life at sea, and festivity.
Koli songs, which originated from daily life and rituals, often explore themes of religion, nature, and the seafaring profession, evolving into a significant oral tradition over time.
Pre-marriage rituals like Haldi are accompanied by songs that describe the bride's beauty, using nature-based metaphors such as comparing her legs to sugarcanes or her eyes to flowers.
They express the emotional lives of fishermen, often sung while at sea or by fisherwomen at home, conveying feelings of love, longing, separation, and hope.
For example, in the iconic song "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab, starring Madhuri Dixit, the Koli Geet rhythm played a significant role.
", appears at the start of the film Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, set in the fishing village of Madh Island.