Battle of Vasai 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 to drive out the Portuguese . General Shankarji Pant Phadke informed Chimaji that Arnala fort is a strategic fort for the naval forces that were on 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 Gavraji 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 . 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 Portuguese . Naro Shankar Dani ' s cavalry and infantry exhibited bravery and loyalty along with artillery , which played an important role , with Chimajiappa 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 . Portuguese offered to capitulate , but requested to allow marching out with honors which Marathas accepted , as a mark of humane protocol to the defeated army . 1739 – Bacaim was named as Bajipur after the Peshwa Bajirao . To restore the Hindu culture and resettle the unconverted natives they incurred upon by the Portuguese rule , Peshwas brought a group of well trained , well learned Hindu priests to ' purify ' the native converts willing to reconvert to their original Hindu fold . Chimaji Appa restored the Nageshwar Mandir near Naga Kunda , built Hanuman Mandir over a church which might have been built on a mosque or temple foundation in the Fort . The oldest Trivikram Mandir in fort over St . Anthony Church and Vamana Mandir of Aggasi are said to have been established by Shri Vamadev Tirtha Swami . In 388 B . C . built Bhavani Shankara Mandir of Aggasi over our lady of light church , Papdy Kshetrapaleshwar Mandir which was built over our lady of Fatima . Also rebuilt and restored was 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 Subhedaar of Vasai led all these activities . When going back to Pune , Chimaji took beautiful church Bell ' s , which was cast in Europe and was in use of church services in the Fort . These bells were so beautiful that , Chimaji couldn ' t resist to take it along with him in his backward journey . One of the beautiful bell among them is installed at " Mahabaleshwar Mandir " , Satara . One can see it even today . Inscribed on the Bell " Ave Maria " . Another Church bell was taken away by Naro Shankar & placed on the bank of river Godavari in Nasik city . Chimaji allowed all Portuguese people to leave unharmed with their belongings . also the brave support of aan and mann thakur brothers of dombivali who helped chimaji peshwe to built explosives at vasai fort by giving their valuable lives .