Vasai-Virar

History

Vasai-Virar, formerly Bassein or Vasai, is a city (municipal corporation) in western Maharashtra state, western India. It lies on the Arabian Sea coast, north of Mumbai (Bombay). Vasai town was part of the territory of the Hindu Devagiri Yadavas until 1317, and it later became a seaport for the Gujarat Muslim kings. In 1526, the Portuguese established a fort (now in ruins) and a trading station at Vasai, and the town became famous for its shipbuilding industry. The Portuguese, with their naval power and their crusading valor, were unquestioned masters of the Indian Ocean. When the Portuguese arrived, Vasai was under the rule of Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat. In 2009, the town was joined administratively with neighboring Virar (north) and several dozen other surrounding communities to form the Vasai-Virar twin city, and it immediately became one of the most-populous urban areas in the state. The city has long been a large-scale fishing centre and a wholesale exporter of agricultural produce. Traditional industries include silk and cotton hand-loom weaving and salt manufacture. There has been a rise in construction and in technology-related activities (e.g., software development).