Battle of Vasai

Battle of Vasai
Date 1739 Location Vasai, India Result Decisive Maratha victory
Belligerents
Maratha Empire	Portuguese Empire
Commanders and leaders
Chimaji Appa

The Battle of Vasai was fought between the Marathas and the Portuguese rulers of Vasai, a village lying near Mumbai (Bombay) in the present-day state of Maharashtra, India. The Marathas were led by Chimaji Appa, a brother of Peshwa Baji Rao I. Maratha victory in this war was a major achievement of Baji Rao I's reign.

1737–1738 – Marathas march towards Bacaim

They seized Arnala fort to drive out the Portuguese. General Shankarji Pant Phadke informed Chimaji that Arnala fort is a strategic fort for the naval forces that were en route from north west coast to attack the Portuguese. Chimaji approved the assault on the fort. Shankarji Pant consulted and sought assistance of the local people to attack the Arnala fort; among them were Govindji Kasar and Gavraj Patil from Bolinj. Shankarji sent Sardar Gangaji Naik Anjurkar, Bajirao Belose and Rayajirao Surve to lead a battalion of 400 soldiers to lead the attack on Arnala fort. This attack was coordinated along with naval force commanded by Daryasarang i.e. Admiral Manaji Agre.

On March 28, 1737 Maratha forces attacked the fort and surprised the Portuguese who were caught with their guard down. The Portuguese retreated and gave up the fort. The Maratha victory was commemorated with a plaque installed on the northern wall of the fort and is still visible today. Soon after the Maratha victory, Shankarji Pant began reconstruction of the fort. By January of 1738 three bastions were completed. The three bastions were named Bhairav, Bhavani and Bava. The construction was completed by March 1738. Later Marathas occupied Versova and Dharavi.

1739 – Siege of Bacaim begins

Ruins of the Bacaim Fort

The Siege of Bacaim began on 17 February 1739 under able leadership of Bajirao's brother Chimaji Appa. Marathas exhibited force, besieging skill, courage and perseverance, and thus Portuguese lose their commander Silveira de Menezes. The Portuguese garrison defended with courage and constancy using hand grenades, musketry and mortars. Using their technically advanced weapons and artillery, the Portuguese inflicted high casualties on the Marathas. Angre's fleet played a brave role and on 16 May 1739 the Marathas defeated the Portuguese. Naro Shankar Dani's cavalry and infantry exhibited bravery and loyalty along with artillery, which played an important role, with Chimaji Appa himself igniting the first shot from a cannon. Artillery's Lieutenant in command Girmaji Kanitkar wreaked havoc by consistently bombarding the fort with his artillery. This with Manaji Angre's seaborne musketeers' accurate shooting forced the Portuguese to surrender. The Portuguese offered to capitulate, but requested that they be allowed to march out with honors, which the Marathas accepted, as a mark of humane protocol to the defeated army.

1739 – Bacaim was renamed Bajipur, after the Peshwa Bajirao. To restore the Hindu culture and resettle the unconverted natives who had been dispersed by Portuguese rule, Peshwas brought a group of well trained, well learned Hindu priests to "purify" the native converts willing to reconvert to Hinduism.

Chimaji Appa restored the Nageshwara Mandir near Naga Kunda and built the Hanuman Mandir over a church which might have been built over a mosque or temple foundation in the Fort. He also rebuilt and restored the Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mandir at Nirmal. The Padmanabha Tirtha Swami Samadhi Ruins on the outskirts, which were destroyed by Portuguese, were re-established. Shankarji Keshav, the Subedar of Vasai led all these activities. When going back to Pune, Chimaji took some church bells, which were cast in Europe and in use for church services in the Fort. These bells were so beautiful that Chimaji couldn't resist taking them along with him on his return trip. One of the bells is still installed at the Mahabaleshwar Mandir, Satara. Another church bell was taken away by Naro Shankar and placed on the banks of the Godavari river in Nasik. Chimaji allowed the Portuguese to leave unharmed with their belongings.

References

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