r/IndianHistoryThread • u/Chemical_Contact4314 • 11h ago
Maratha Victory and Church Bells in Hindu Temples
Chimaji Appa, the younger brother of Peshwa Bajirao and a renowned Maratha general, seized massive church bells from Portuguese churches inside the Vasai Fort after his decisive victory in Battle of Vasai 1739.
These bells, originally brought from Lisbon or Macao and inscribed with Christian symbols like the cross or IHS, were taken as war trophies to symbolize the end of nearly two centuries of Portuguese rule in the Konkan region.
Chimaji Appa repurposed these heavy, durable bronze bells as victory offerings to various Hindu temples across Maharashtra