5/5 Rutvij k. 2 years ago on Google
Vasai
fort
about
60
kilometers
north
of
Mumbai
and
8
kms
from
vasai
station,
the
nostalgic
ruins
of
Vasai
Fort
tells
the
tale
of
what
was
the
headquarters
of
prosperous
Portuguese
rule
in
the
16th
and
17th
centuries.
More
than
just
a
fort,
Vasai
Fort
was
once
a
living
city
that
was,
astonishingly,
of
greater
size
and
importance
than
Mumbai
(Bombay).Vasai,
called
Baçaim
by
the
Portuguese
(and
later
renamed
Bajipur
by
the
Marathas
and
Bassien
by
the
British),
came
into
Portuguese
possession
after
it
was
surrendered
by
Sultan
Bahadur
Shah
of
Gujarat
in
1534.
Mumbai,
which
was
merely
a
group
of
islands
inhabited
by
villages
of
indigenous
koli
fishermen,
was
also
handed
over
to
the
Portuguese
at
the
time.
The
Portuguese
used
Vasai
as
their
commercial
and
military
base.
It
became
their
capital
in
the
north
Konkan
region
and
their
second
most
important
location
after
Goa.
They
strengthened
and
developed
the
preexisting
fort
structure,
naming
it
the
Fortaleza
de
São
Sebastião
de
Baçaim
(the
Fort
of
Saint
Sebastian
of
Vasai).
Inside
were
the
glorious
mansions
of
Portuguese
noblemen,
seven
churches,
convents,
temples,
hospitals,
colleges,
and
administrative
centers.
The
Portuguese
governor
also
used
the
fort
as
his
official
residence
when
he
visited
the
area.
The
sprawling
fort,
with
its
indomitable
stone
wall
and
10
bastions,
covers
nearly
110
acres.
It
has
a
very
strategic
position
surrounded
by
sea
on
three
sides.
The
Portuguese
were
renowned
for
their
naval
power
and
fiercely
guarded
it
with
a
fleet
of
armed
ships,
making
it
impenetrable.
Apparently,
the
Marathas
tried
for
two
years
to
capture
Vasai
Fort
during
Portuguese
rule
but
couldn't
gain
access.
Their
attacks
only
made
minor
dents,
some
of
which
can
be
seen,
on
the
fort's
wall.
In
they
end,
they
managed
to
weaken
the
Portuguese
by
cutting
off
their
food
and
trade
supplies
after
conquering
Arnala
Fort
to
the
north
of
Vasai.
Upon
finally
winning
the
war,
the
Marathas
took
possession
of
Vasai
on
May
12,
1739.
It
was
a
momentous
occasion
that
severely
diminished
Portuguese
influence
and
restricted
their
reign
of
the
coastal
region
to
Goa,
Daman
and
Diu.
If
the
King
of
Portugal
hadn't
already
given
the
Mumbai
islands
away
to
the
British
as
part
of
a
marriage
dowry
in
1661,
the
outcome
(for
Mumbai
and
the
Portuguese)
could've
been
very
different..
An
hour
or
two
is
enough
to
explore
the
whole
fort
as
some
parts
are
not
accessible
due
to
dense
vegetation
and
some
restrictions
made
by
the
government.
One
can
take
a
112
bus
from
vasai
station
which
is
there
every
hour
and
trust
me
this
option
is
the
best
as
the
fare
is
just
20
rs
one
way
so
you
can
visit
the
fort
in
40
rs
from
vasai
station,where
as
auto
will
charge
you
60-120
rs..
I
stay
in
dombivli
I
visited
this
place
in
just
70
rs
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