ordered them to fight with the demon. In the battle, Kalikala swallowed or broke all weapons thrown at him. Finally, Indra threw the Vajra at the demon, which Kalikala broke into pieces. From the Vajra emerged the Goddess, who destroyed the demon. The devas extolled her as Vajreshwari and built her temple. The seventh canto of Navanath Kathasar states that Machindranath served the goddess Vajrabhagawati (Vajreshwari) for a month by giving her a bath of the water of hot springs. This place is also called Nath Bhoomi, a land of Nathas. History The original temple of Vajreshwari was at Gunj, five miles (8 km) north of Vadavli. It was moved to Vadvali after its destruction by the Portuguese. In 1739, Chimaji Appa - the younger brother and military commander of Peshwa Baji Rao I - had set up camp in the Vadvali region on his way to capture the Portuguese-held Bassein Fort of Vasai. The fort was unconquerable even after a three-year war. Chimaji Appa prayed to goddess Vajreshwari that if he could conquer the fort and defeat the Portuguese, he would build a temple to her. According to legend, the goddess Vajreshwari appeared in his dream and told him how to conquer the fort. On 16 May, the fort fell and the defeat of the Portuguese in Vasai was complete. To celebrate his victory and to fulfill the vow taken in front of the goddess Vajreshwari, Chimnaji Appa ordered the new Subhedar (governor), Shankar Keshav Phadke, to build the Vajreshwari temple. The Nagarkhana in the main entrance gate was built by the Gaikwads, Maratha dynasty of Baroda. The stone steps leading to the temple and the Dipamala (a tower of lights) in front of the temple were built by Nanasaheb Chandavadakar, a moneylender from Nashik. Temple structure The main gate entrance has a Nagarkhana or drum house, and is built similar to the Bassein Fort's entrance. The temple is also surrounded by a stone wall like a fort. Fifty-two stone steps are to be climbed to reach the main shrine. A golden tortoise is carved on one of the steps and worshipped as Kurma, the tortoise incarnation of Vishnu. The main shrine has three sections: the main inner sanctum (Garbha gṛha), another sanctum, and a pillared mandapa (assembly hall). The Grabha-griha houses six idols. The saffron murti (idol) of the goddess Vajreshwari with a sword and a gada (mace)