Versova, originally named Vesava, is a small fishing village of the Kolis, situated to the north of the old Mumbai city. Britain used to call this vis-a-vis and locals gave it the name Visava.
The original name of the village is “Visava”, which derives from the Marathi word for “rest” (as in resting place). Later, it was pronounced as “Vesava”. The village is mentioned in the writings of Gemelli Careri in 1695.
Versova came under the Portuguese rule in the late medieval period. The Portuguese constructed the Our Lady of Health Church in Versova, and a number of Kolis converted to Christianity during this period. By 1720, it had emerged as a small town, with a small fort and a growing trade in dry fish. In 1739, the Portuguese lost the area to the Marathas, who strengthened the fort. A British force led by Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Keating defeated the Marathas in 1774.
