Vasai Zilla is a Ancient Sanatana Hindu Dharma Tirtha Sthala Maharashtra, Hindustan ( Bharat / India)

💞🕉🚩 The Ancient Sanatana Hindu Dharma Tirtha Sthala Vasai Zilla, Maharashtra, Hindustan (Bharat / India) 💐🙏

History of Vasai :

The history of Bassein dates back to Treta Yuga. Bassein (or Vasai or Oppire or Orparak or Shorparag or Shurparaka as it was called from time to time) was established by Bhagawan Parashuram. Bhagvan Parsuram established Vimaleshwar Mandir and Vimala Sarovara. He established the 64 yoginis in and around Vasai, since the yoginis were considered to be the devotees of His mother Goddess Renuka. He also established 108 Teertha Kundas or Pushkarinis in Vasai. This is quoted in the Holy Edict Skanda Purana and Padma Purana (Lotus Purana ).

Shamedis came as expert singers to Shurparak (Bassein) during the Buddha era 1500 BC from the remote areas of Orissa, then called as Utkala. During the Buddhist rule, their following of Vedic Dharma was loosened. At the advent of Adya Shankaracharya in Nirmal around 497 BC, the Buddhist Monks were defeated in the debates and returned to the Vedic Fold. Hinduism in the Samedis returned and they started strict following of the Vedic Dharma. They regarded Adi Sankara Jagadguru as their cardinal preacher. This is quoted in Holy Text Siva Leela Amrut.

Purna, the disciple of Gautama Buddha, belonged to “Vasai” i.e. earlier “Shoorparak”, and he preached in the Eastern India. Even after the advent of Sankaracharya, some Buddhists were left who used to criticize the Vedic Philosophy. Thus the King Jalauk of Kalinga took the then Jagat Guru Shankaracharya of Eastern India, i.e. H.H. Shankaracharya of Puri, to Shurparaga. He was 5th Shankaracharya of Puri named Swami Vidyaranya. His Holiness Swami Vidyaranya defeated remaining Buddhist Monks from Karla Caves, Mahad Caves, Kaneri Caves, and Shruparak and strongly revived the Vedic Dharma. Dur to old age and at the earnest prayers of the local Shamedis and Bhandaris Jagad Guru Shankaracharya Vidyaranya Swami of Puri Peetham took Mahasamadhi at the Nirmal Vimaleshwar Mandir in 404 BC on the dark 11th day of Kartik. Emperor Jalauk (son of Ashoka) built a big Samadhi Mandir according to the Orissa architecture.

Later during the Vijaya Yatra the grand disciple of Swami Vidyaranya, named Swami Padmanabha Tirtha, the 7th Jagadguru Sankara charya of Puri Govardhan Peetham arrived in Vasai during the “Vijaya Yatra” . His Holiness stayed here for some months and later attracted to this Holy Place decided to reside eternally at this place of his grand Guru.

Thus Swami Padmanadha Tirtha Shankaracharya, who was devotee of Lord Vallabha (thus He was also called Vallabha Swami) (i.e. Krishna achieved Mahasamadhi at Vasai in 373 BC on a hillock next to the Nirmal hillock. A temple devoted to Bhagwan Shri Krishna in front of His Samadhi by the then Kashmiri Brahmin community who used to reside in Nirmal, brought by Raja Jalauk, from the area around Shankaracharya Parbat, Sri Nagar (Jammu and Kashmir).

Later this place was visited by 38 th Shrimad Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Shivananda Saraswati of Puri Govardhan Peetham during the rule of the Satvahan Kings.

During the times of Raja Bhimdev of Puri, in order to solve the religious difference in between the Kshatriyas, the 106 th Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Sukhabodha Tirtha arrived in Vasai during the 13th century AD.

This Holy place was visited by Swami Vidyaranya, the 13th Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the 15th century. His samadhi is located at Hampi, Karnataka.

During 1543, Portuguese started their rule in Bassein and started destruction of various cultural places in Vasai. The temple of Padmanabha Swami which was located at the hillock place now called “Nirmal Naka” was destroyed. The Brahmins, Shamedis and Bhandaris who regarded Jagadguru Shankarachrya as their Holy Guru were sad at this ill act and they brought the stones of the samadhi of Padmanabha Swami and placed them in front left hand side of Vidyaranya Swami Samadhi Mandir. During this period, 200 religious places were destroyed by foreigners in Bassein. The atrocities of the Portuguese were on rise .At the request of the Citizens of Vasai Chimaji Appa Peshwa attacked Portuguese at Vasai and conquered Vasai in the 18th Century AD.

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

Battle of Vasai

Date 17 February 1739 – 16 May 1739

(2 months, 4 weeks and 1 day)

January 24, 1739

On this date Narveer Shri Chimaji Appa, the brother of Peshwa Baji Rao, defeated the Portuguese forces and captured the fort here, a significant event in many ways. While many know about Baji Rao, not many have an idea about his equally great brother Chimaji Appa, who played a vital role on West Coast. Often overshadowed by his more famous brother, he was as brilliant and great a warrior.

While Peshwa Baji Rao conquered most of the Deccan, Central & North Bharat varsh , Malwa, while it was Chimaji Appa who played the vital role in driving out the Portuguese from the Konkan, and restricting them to Goa and making it a Maratha stronghold. His greatest achievement was the Battle of Vasai, where he fought a 2 month long battle with the Portuguese , defeated them, in a series of conflicts, made them surrender, and ensured that the saffron flag would fly high over the Konkan up till Goa.

The first mention of Tarapur is sometime in 1280, when the ruler of Mahim, Bhim captured this from the Naiks. The Portuguese captured this area in 1553 and by 1556, they had managed to secure themselves well here. Being a trading center it was also one of the richer towns. The invasions by Abyssinian troops in 1559 and the Mughals in 1612 were repelled. And by 1634, Tarapur was one of the most important towns in the Portuguese occupied Daman territories, with a magistrate seat, garrison, the strong fort, a church, one of their main centers.

Tarapur had a strong garrison with a naik, captain,around 50 Portuguese, 200 native Christians( converted), well armed with swords, lances, guns. Having repelled the Abyssinian and Mughal invasions earlier, this was considered as one of Portuguese safe zones on West Coast. While Peshwa Baji Rao was busy in his campaigns in the Deccan and Malwa, Chimaji Appa began to focus on the West Coast. He had earlier captured the Belapur Fort in 1733, from the Portuguese.

Belapur’s earlier name was Shabaz, it was built by the Siddis, later the Portuguese captured it. Chimaji Appa made a vow that if he captured the fort, he would place a garland of Bel leaves in the near by Amruthishwar Temple. And that is how it got it’s currrent name. His strategy on the West Coast, was to start with the weak links( Belapur) and move slowly up to the stronger part( Vasai). After Belapur fell he turned his attention to Tarapur.

In 1739 Peshwa Chimaji Appa led the attack on Tarapur Fort along with Ramachandra Hari, the Pawar brothers( Yeshwant, Tukaji), Ranoji Bhonsle and Baj Bevrao. Four mines were places, that managed to breach the fort walls at 2 points, enabling the Marathas to rush in there. However the Portuguese put up a stiff resistance for quite some time, and an intense battle was fought with neither side giving much away. Until Ranoji Bhonsle scaled the walls of the fort in another part and diverted the garrison, enabling the Marathas to enter in.

After a stiff resistance, the Portuguese finally surrendered and the Marathas secured Tarapur fort. which would be theirs till the British captured it in 1803. The capture of Tarapur would lead to one of the greatest victories ever in Maratha history at the Battle of Vasai. Chimaji Appa’s conquest of the West Coast, is as great an achievement as his more illustrious brother’s campaigns in the Deccan and Malwa. His son Sadashiv Rao Bhau, was the one who headed Maratha army at Panipat.

It was not just Vasai, the Portuguese lost eight cities, four chief ports, twenty fortress, two fortified hills and 340 villages, to Peshwa Chimaji Appa. The Vajreshwari Temple, was built by him as a thanksgiving to the Goddess after his victory at Bassein. In fact after Chimaji Appa won at Vasai, he collected 5 large bells, one of which he placed at Vajreshwari Temple. The other bells were offered to temples at Bhimshankar, Menavali near Wai, Omkareshwar and Ramlinga temple at Shirur.

He requested the guidance of monk – Swami Vidya Shankara Bharati who was the 8th generation of the institution of Karvir- Sankeshwar (this is the institution established in the 16th century in Sankeshwar, Karnataka). He was the disciple of Jagadguru Shankaracharya.

At the guidance of Swami Vidya Shancara Bharati, Chimaji Appa renovated, in the Orissa Architecture, the Samadhi Mandir of Swami Vidyaranya and Swami Padmanabha Tirtha, the 5th and 7th Shankaracharya of Puri Peetham,.

This place due to atrocities of Portuguese rulers were devoid of Brahmins. Under the guidance of Swami Vidya Shankara Bharati, Chimaji Appa Peshwa, in consultations with Peshwa Bajirao, appointed 1 Konkanastha Chitpavan Brahmin, 1 Karhade Brahmin, 1 Devrukhe Brahmin and 4-5 Shukla Yajurvedi Gujrathi Brahmins in this region. Thus there were only 7-8 houses of Brahmins in whole Sopara region. Later Swami Vidya Shankara Bharathi went back to Sankeshwar and attained samadhi on the banks of River Hiranyakeshi.

In 1926, Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha, the 143rd Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Puri Govardhan Peetham was received with warm welcome in a specially reserved train at Nala Sopara station.

The Jagadguru Swagat Samiti was presided by a well known Shamedi Shri Vaze. Jagadguru had the Holy bath in the Vimaleshwar Sarovar then had Darshan of the Shri Sureshwar Mandir, Shri Vimaleshwar Mandir, and the two Samadhis of the previous Shankaracharyas viz. Swami Vidyaranya and Swami Padanabha Tirtha of the Puri Govardhan Peetham. This time Jagadguru addressed a large gathering of Shamedis. A big Yajnya was organized to commemorate this event. Again the same Puri Shankaracharya Swami Bharati Krishna Teerth visited Shurparak in the 1950s. This time also there were huge gatherings which were hosted by Swami Nityananda of Ganeshpuri. This time also Shamedis extended great efforts in organizing the event.

Ishwarpuri (Sandipani Samadhi)

Ishwapuri Ashram is located at Chandip Village situated on Shirshad Vajreshwari Raod, Spacial about this is you can find samadhi of Guru Sandipani ( Guru of Krishna, Balram and Sudama), A shiv Temple is also located at this place, some basic facility is available for this mountainous nature. 💝🕉️🚩💞🙏