Note to Readers

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I learned about ‘Goa beyond beaches’ during the recent Pathik – Temple Trails and Stories Tour (organized by INDICA-Rashtram Centre for Cultural Leadership), which took us on a pilgrimage across some of the most exquisite, yet lesser-known Devasthanams of the world. We visited a number of magnificent temples, being completely unaware of the existence of such a large number of temples in Goa; the common perception being that Goa comprises only BBC – Beaches, Bars, and Churches!

This led me to dig into Goa’s history and what/who inhabited the region before the Portuguese. It was a fascinating read that spans over millennia starting from the Neolithic Period, events of the Mahabharata period, being a part of the Ashoka Empire, the Golden Age under the Kadamba dynasty, mass conversions, destruction of temples, and gory details of the Goa Inquisition under the Portuguese, the defeat of the Portuguese by Shivaji which led to Hindu revival and kickstarted temple rebuilding activity in the region. 

The blog about my Goa visit has been divided into two parts – Part I is a concise overview of the history of Goa since the dawn of time. Those interested in reading this can go to Part I by clicking here. Part II (this blog) is the travelogue, a description of the temples and other places I visited in Goa. It bears mention that there is not much information about Goan temples available, even the government Tourism website does not mention most of them. Few temples have their own website, but there too information is sketchy. Hence I have tried to provide details of each temple so that it is available in one place.

The travelogue covering the temples of Goa continues in Part III. This can be read by clicking here.

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Introduction

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It was a 4-day sojourn in Goa, with a packed itinerary, mostly since distances are large. The leader of the group was Dr. Pankaj Saxena, a renowned and knowledgeable scholar on India’s history and heritage, particularly temples. His informal discussions throughout the trip provided great insights for all of us about our heritage, culture, traditions, and in particular, the places we visited. Engaging a local guide provides limited knowledge, and many times even that is questionable. A scholar with his knowledge and insights enhances the experience manifold. That we were fortunate to have a local expert, Ms. Sawani Shyete, a renowned archaeologist, was a bonus we hadn’t expected. She was a veritable storehouse of snippets and anecdotes about the places we visited, bringing to life the ancient sites, monuments, and deities with her narrations.

It is to be understood that temples are not just structures of stone or bricks, they are living institutions that ensure the survival of our traditions, customs, and communities associated with it. The importance of temples can be judged by the fact that our ancestors kept on reclaiming and rebuilding our temples despite repeated takeovers and demolition by invaders. Some temples have been rebuilt over and over, almost 20 times, with the process spread over centuries. It is only due to such undeterred spirit and strong resolve shown by our ancestors that Sanātana Dharma and Hindu civilization has survived while all other ancient (pagan) civilizations of the world have been wiped out. The history of Hindu society since ancient times reveals that it has always been our Gods who have guided us in establishing and protecting our Dharma, be it Shri Jagannātha leading Gajapati Purushottama Deva or Mā Bhawāni leading Chhatrapati Shivāji Mahārāj’s army. It is they who have nurtured, protected, and sustained our civilization. Thus, any new attempt by Hindus to reclaim and reassert their identity and culture must begin from their doorsteps.

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Anatha Temple At Savoi Verem 

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The first temple we visited was the famous Anatha Temple, the abode of Anatha (Vishnu) situated at Savai Verem in Ponda Taluka on the banks of River Mandovi. The temple is situated a little away from the village in a verdant green setting. The gateway at the top of the flight of steps gives a view of the courtyard and surroundings. Savoi – Verem has been an ancient settlement for both spiritual and secular learning. In the 11^th century, this land was granted to the teacher and mentor of Shasta Deva, one of the early Kadamba rulers, as a gift in respect for his wisdom.

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The temple is constructed in a rectangular shape and consists of a garbhagriha, antarala, sabhamandapa, porch, and a large mukhamandapa. Both garbhagriha and antarala are squarish chambers with an encircled wall of circumambulatory passage which has an entrance from its east. The murti is carved in black basalt and Vishnu is shown in his Anantashayya (sleeping position where He rests on the multi-headed snake king Seshnaga, who shelters Vishnu like an umbrella). This is the only temple in Goa showing Vishnu in this posture. Shri Laxmi, the consort of Vishnu, is sitting at the feet of Lord Vishnu. The excellent skills of the medieval period can be seen in this sculpture. This temple also has a natural water tank that meets the requirements of the temple.

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Vishnu’s murtis depicting different Avatars, which are presently kept in the Museum at Old Goa, goes to show that Vishnu has been worshipped here for more than 1000 years. During the time of the great floods, Vishnu takes the form of Narayan asleep on the coil of Ananta floating in the cosmic ocean, with the protection of its hood, and kneeling beside his feet is Lakshmi. At the time of re-creating the world, a lotus stalk rose from Vishnu’s navel with Brahma, the creator on it, to fulfill this task.

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This temple, unlike other temples in Goa, has only a tiled pyramid as a roof and surprisingly no domes. The external walls too are plain having a plaster finish. But the insides are in stark contrast to the outside. All the seven colours of the rainbow are showcased in the intricate wooden carvings. The pillars are encased in intricately carved silver plates. The current building is circa 1923.

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The Ananta temple in Savoi Verem has its own independent identity and gives a feeling of entering a serene spiritual site to the devotees when they enter the gateway.

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Mahalasa Narayani Temple At Mardol 

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Mahalasa is one of the important Shakti goddesses and a very popular deity in Goa. The ancient shrine of this Goddess was at Verna in Salcate taluka. The Portuguese completely destroyed it during the period of the Inquisition. Mahalasa was one of the deities shifted to the Antruz Mahal from Salcete taluka in the wake of the reign of religious terror unleashed by Diego Fernandes, the Portuguese Captain of the Fort of Rachol that saw the demolition of over 280 Hindu temples in Salcet taluka in 1567.  This was the biggest temple of the times in South Goa. The present temple of Mahalasa Narayani is situated on the southern side of the Ponda-Panaji highway near Mardol market in Ponda taluka. The Sahyadri khanda mentions Mahalasa as one of the deities that were brought to Goa by the Brahmins who were settled here by Parashurama (Adhyaya 1, Shlokas 52-53). 

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The location of the temple, popularly known as Sthalakutumban, is rated as one of the most beautiful temple sites in Goa. The roof of the temple is plated with copper sheets and the sacred tank is behind the temple. A majestic Deepastabha or the light tower, a Garudastambha, and Dnyanadeep which is a tall brass lamp, and a shrine for Hanuman is located in front of the temple. The entrance to the temple enclosure, the Mahadwara is surmounted by Nagarkhana or music chamber which is popularly known as Shejo and from where Chaughada is played with the help of four types of drums. 

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The temple was constructed in a rectangular shape and consists of a garbhagriha, antarala and mukhamandappa like early medieval temples in this region. A circumbulatory passage covers all three divisions of the original temple. Hence it was a sandhara temple. A large pillared sabhamandapa and adjoining mahamandapa with a porch are the later additions made in the year 1992. Goddess Mahalasa here is highly ornamented and is also attached to guardians and attributes. The superstructure of the sanctum has a domical sikhara and it is capped by a kalasa. This domical sikhara has a high octagonal base like other temples in the region. To the right of the Mahalasa temple is a temple dedicated to Sateri, who is considered to be not just the parivar devata of Mahalasa, but her elder sister and who enjoys the honour of primacy. 

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The cult of Mahalasa Narayani is scripturally rooted in the eighth and ninth Adhyayas or chapters of the Bhagwat Parana as the Mohini avatar of Vishnu. She appeared at the conclusion of the Samudra Manthan or the churning of the sea, which was done to retrieve the treasures which had sunk in the ocean owing to a curse of sage Durvasa. The exercise resulted in the discovery of 14 ratnas, or jewels. The last to emerge was Dhanvantari carrying the pot of Amrit, the elixir of immortality. Since there was a scuffle between the Devas and the Danavas over the pot of nectar of life, Vishnu appeared in the form of Mohini, the enchantress, and on the request of the Danavas took the responsibility of distributing the amrit among them and the Devas. She made them sit in separate rows and captivated the minds of the Danavas with her sensuous gestures, she surreptitiously served them sura, and wine, while reserving amrit exclusively for the Devas. Danava Swarbhanu or Rahu saw through her game and surreptitiously switched sides to obtain some nectar for himself. The Sun and the Moon detected Rahu’s move and informed Mohini. Enraged at the audacity of Rahu, Mohini hurled the Sudarshan Chakra at him. 

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Though Shakti worship started in India during the period of the Indus-Saraswati Valley Civilization, its widespread development took place only around 900 CE. Varunapuramahatmya of Sahiyadri khand, compiled between 500 CE to 1500 CE, deals with Goddess Mahalasa. Sahiyadri khand also mentions that Mahalasa was brought by Parashurama from Tiruhut (Bihar) and was consecrated in Verna in Salcete Taluka. Since Sahiyadri khand provides enough details on the social and cultural history of Goa, the above description is quite plausible. 

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Manguesh Temple

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The main temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Manguesh, an incarnation of Shiva and a regional deity of Goa. Bhagavan Manguesh is worshipped here as a Shiva linga. The shrine of Manguesh was originally located in Kushasthali, which was known as Kutthali in Konkani and it became Cortalim after the Portuguese invasion. According to Manguesh Mahatmya, once Shiva and Parvati were playing dice when Parvati won and she rebuked Shiva harshly. This annoyed Shiva and he left for the Himalayas leaving her alone. Parvati then left home in search of Shiva. In the course of her search, she came to Kushasthali (Cortalim). When she was on her way to Aghanasini (River Zuari) for taking a bath, a ferocious tiger with a wide open mouth appeared in front of her. She was frightened and uttered trahi-mahi-girish (please protect me from the tiger). No sooner had she uttered the words, than Shiva appeared from the body of the tiger. It is believed that the word Manguesh has its origin in ma-hi-Girish. 

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Kapila Mahatmya and Mangirish Puja Mahatmya, both sections of Manguesh Mahatmya, tell two different stories regarding the consecration of the linga of Manguesh. Gomanchal Kshetra Mahatmya of Skandapuran, a record of 7^th century CE, tells that Brahma consecrated Manguesh Linga. The other version states that Parasurama brought Manguesh Linga to Shuparak (once Goa was also called Shuparakdesh) and installed it in Kushasthali. 

Gomanchalakshetra Mahatmyam (Adhyaya III, Shlokas 2 – 14) makes reference to the consecration of the Shiva linga on Mangirish Mountain at Trihotra in Bihar. The Saraswats then brought the vigraha to Goa. Mangish Mahatmyam explains how the name Mangirish turned into Manguesh. 

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Manguesh is the first deity that was shifted from its original site at Kushasthali or Cortalim. The Jesuit missionaries, Fr. Pedro Mascarenhas and Irmsio Manuel Gomes reached Cortalim on 1 May 1560. They found the murti missing from the temple of Manguesh. It had already been smuggled out and brought to the village of Priol in the Antruz Mahal via Madkai. The building of the original temple was used to set up a temporary church and the Viceroy D. Antao de Noronha permitted the transfer of all properties and income of the temple of Manguesh to this church. Subsequently, the temple was demolished and on the same site, the new church was built in 1566. 

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After the destruction of the shrine of Manguesh, the linga of Manguesh was reconsecrated in Priol village in Ponda Taluka. Since Mukta, a Gauda tribal boy saved the linga from destruction by the Portuguese and shifted it to safety in Priol where the present temple is constructed, the Gauda community has been granted privileges at the temple.

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The temple is facing north. It has a garbhagriha, antrala, sabliamandapa and mukhamandapa. The garbhagriha is a plain hall. Manguesh with a linga with panavatta is enshrined in the garbhagriha. A small rectangular chamber is separating the sanctum and antarala. The 3-division sanctum, middle chamber, and antarala in a common hall show that it is a later temple architectural feature. The mukhamandapa of this temple is a circular hall, which is a unique feature of temple architecture. Three domical sikharas, one each above the sanctum, sabhamandapa and mukhamandapa, crown the superstructure of their respective structures in two tiers (dwitalas). 

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A Tulasi Vrindavan and octagonal-shaped deepstambha adorn the northwest corner of the temple. A huge water tank with a Tulasi Vrindavan at the center has been provided in front of the temple to meet the water requirement of the temple. A long pathway connects the main road, over which is a beautiful arched entrance.

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Ramnath Temple (Ramnathi)

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The ancient shrine of Ramnath was earlier located in Loutulim in Salcete Taluka in South Goa. In the 16^th century, the linga of Ramnath was shifted from Loutulim to Bandivade due to religious persecution by the Portuguese. Ramnath is the family deity of several communities. The Linga of Ramnath has been brought from Rameshwaram to spread the teachings of Rama.  

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The temple is facing east and consists of a garbhagriha, antarala and mukhamandapa with a circumambulatory passage (pradakshinapath) as in the sandhara temple. Two female deities Sateri and Kamakshi are placed, one each on either side of Ramnath in their individual kutas (cells). These three kutas in a single shrine resemble the architectural features of a trikuta temple. 

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The entrance dwar of the Mukhamandapa is adorned with the Dasavataras of Vishnu, which are depicted beautifully on its bronze-paneled entrance. A Sheshashai Vishnu also adorns the top of this arched entrance. A golden palkhi made of wood and gold sheets is exhibited by the side of Sateri kuta and is the main attraction in the hall. The Sateri and Kamakshi kutas have independent porches in front and also have separate entrances from outside. The superstructures of all three deities are domical shaped, while the sabhamandapa and mukhamantapa have conical tiled roofs. A three-fold kalasa adorns the domical superstructure of the main deity at the top. A deepstambha and water tank can be seen in front of the temple, which are necessary requisites for worship and rituals. The temple complex also has buildings of residential chambers and function halls all around the temple. This shows the practice of incorporating basic amenities for devotees as in medieval Indian temple architecture.

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The shrines of Vetal and Kalabhairav are also located separately on the southern side of the main temple and are worshipped with great devotion. 

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Most temples in Goa run free kitchens for devotees. Since we reached this temple around lunchtime, we had lunch here. To ensure that adequate food is available, a coupon is required to be taken before 1:00 pm. The food in such places is plain, but always the tastiest one has had! The scriptures always stress the importance of hygiene and devotion/love while cooking food. It infuses positive energy into the food, which makes it incomparable to food even from a 5* hotel facility. This is one of the reasons that the taste of food a mother cooks is cherished for life.

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Shri Naguesh Maharudra Temple At Bandivade Ponda

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The term Naga means snake and Isha means Shiva. When the term naga is prefixed to Isha, then it becomes Niguesh. Here it implies the adorning of a snake by Shiva around his neck. The temple is extremely popular for worship as Naguesh. 

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The temple of Naguesh is situated at Bandivade in Ponda taluka and the place is more familiar as Nagueshi. According to a Kannada inscription exhibited on a Hero Stone in the ASI Museum, Old Goa, King Sripala established the village Bandivade and constructed the Neminath Jaina basti. Neminith Jaina basti is presently in ruins and one can see the same after a few meters away from the present Nagueshi temple. 

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The Saraswats established Naguesh Maharudra deity at Bandivade. Unlike other deities in Goa, Nagesh Maharudra found a safe abode since its consecration and did not have to be shifted from place to place as the temple was unaffected by the religious persecution of Portuguese rulers in the 16^th century. Antruj Mahal was not under the control of the Portuguese and this facilitated the migration even of other Saraswat deities like Shanta Durga, Ganapati etc to Antruj.

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Sculptures of Shiva-Parvati and Ganesh have been excavated from the temple premises. Archaeologists have assigned these idols to 7^th century CE based on their style. The main deity was known as Nagnath in ancient times, as stated in a copper plate bearing the year 1222 Saka (1300 CE). There is an inscription in the temple premises that makes reference to a gift of lands in favour of the deities of Shri Nagesh & Shri Mahalaxmi for sevas on Kartik Poornima by Shri Mayeen Shenvi Wagle, an officer of the kingdom, in the year 1413 CE (1335 Saka) during the rule of King Veer Pratap Devaraya of Vijayanagar Dynasty. The present building has been renovated and reconstructed around 1880.

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The ground plan of the Naguesh temple is rectangular in shape. The temple consists of a square garbhagriha and an antarala, mukharnandapa and a rectangular sabhamandapa with a front porch. The garbhagriha is a plain chamber. Like the shikharas of the other temples in this region, this domical shikhara had a high octagonal base at the bottom and a kalasa on top. 

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A Nandi image is beautifully carved in basalt and placed at the center of the porch facing the main deity. The Naguesh murti is in the middle, on the right is Ganpati, and on the left Laxmi Narayan. The ceiling and walls are beautifully decorated portraying events from the Ramayana on one side and images of Astadikpal and Gandharva on the other. A beautifully decorated deepstambh is located on the side. 

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A large water tank (pushkar) built with huge laterite walls is located in front of the temple, which fulfills the requirements of the temple. Beautiful verdant green plantations of areca palms and spices surround the tank, providing a serene and meditative environment.

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Skanda Purana also mentions that like Mahalasa which was brought from Tiruhut, Naguesh too was brought from the same place. 

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Sri Mahalakshmi Temple At Bandoda Ponda

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Mahalakshmi temple is situated at Bandoda in Ponda Taluka. Three shrines of Mahalakshmi are found in Goa, they are Mahalakshmi at Colva (Salcete), Mahalakshmi at Netravali (Sanguem), and Mahalakshmi at Bandivade. A 1414 CE Marathi inscription of the Vijayanagara period fixed on the wall of the building opposite the famous Naguesh temple mentions that Mai Shenoi, the son of Purusha Shenoi, a resident of Kunkoli in the presence of the leaders of the village, Ram Naik, Narayan Prabhu Naik, Mange Prabhu jointly offered donations to the Mahalakshmi temple at Bandivade. This was during the reign of Nanjan Gosavi Pratihast over Goa.

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Though the Sahyadri khand mentions Mahalaxmi as one of the deities that were brought by the Brahmins. The Saraswats, at the time of their arrival in Goa, were worshippers of ‘Shiva-Shakti’ – Shiva being represented by the ‘Linga’, and Shakti as the Devi. Thus Shri Mahalaxmi was their Goddess and has been worshipped by the Shilahara rulers (750-1030 CE) and also the Kadamba Kings of Goa. This peaceful Satvika form of the Devi that shows in the idol at this temple has a unique feature – that she wears a linga on her head.

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Portuguese records mention Mahalaxmi (Malcumi) temple among those that were destroyed in 1567. The utsav vigraha, made of panchloha (five metals), of Mahalaxmi at Colva was shifted to the temple of Mahalaxmi at Bandora during the Portuguese inquisition in 1557. Two non-Brahmins, Sapta and Phato, carried the Utsava murti in a box to save it from the Portuguese, who had already destroyed the main granite vighraya. Sapta and Phato traveled by boat along the Arabian Sea, crossed the Rasai River, and reached Talawal or Durbat in Atruja and handed over the murti.

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The idol brought from Colva was installed along with the existing idol. So today there are two idols of Mahalaxmi in the temple premises, along with other deities such as Shri Ravalnath, Shri Baleshwar, and Shri Narayan Purush. 

As a reward, Satto and Phato were given two balls of rice after the midday mahapuja under instructions from the goddess. This practice is still carried out at a small hut constructed in front of the main temple on the left side. It houses two lingas which are token representations of the two fishermen Satto and Phato. 

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Architectural features like high-level octagonal bases for siikharas, entrances on either side in the transept, and a base for three-fold kalasa show the influence of the temples developed during the Portuguese period implying that the present structure has been rebuilt. A monolithic deepastamba erected in front of the temple dates back to the medieval period. 

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The sabhamandapa of the Mahalakshmi temple has a beautiful art gallery with twenty-two images of Vyuha – all woodcarvings in bold relief. This gallery is considered to be one of the rare ones of its kind in the whole of the Indian subcontinent.

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Lakshmi Narasimha Temple Veling

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Dedicated to Narsimha, this temple was moved from Sankhavali (Sancoale) to Ponda in 1567, with the deities of Sri Vijayadurga and Sri Shanthadurga, to save them from destruction by the Portuguese. Vishnu, in his form of Narasimha, the  4^th incarnation, is worshipped here along with his consort Lakshmi.

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The current temple structure with all the wooden columns and carvings was built in the 18^th century and is in excellent condition. The carvings, especially the ones depicting tales from Narsimha Purana are beautifully executed.

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As enticing as its history and architecture are, the place becomes even more fascinating because of a little spring that is so fresh and clean that one can drink the water directly from it. The sweet water spring is considered eternal and comes from the top of the hills surrounding Veling, filling the stepped pushkar (water tank) adjacent to the temple. It’s serene, especially since the tank is surrounded by coconut palms which help shade the area. There is a musician’s gallery on the opposite side of the water tank, facing the temple.  

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Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla

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A matured form of Kadamba architecture with the influence of Hoysala and Kalyani Chalukyas can be seen in the Mahadev temple at Tambdi Surla. Tambdi Surla is a modest village in Sanguem taluka near Anmod Ghat. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and dates to the 12^th century. It is the region’s oldest shrine. The temple is named after the brownish-red earth typical of the area (Tambdi means ‘red’).

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The Kadamba dynasty ruled Goa between the 10^th and 14^th Century CE and built the temple from the finest weather-resistant grey-black basalt, carried across the mountains from the Deccan plateau and lavishly carved in situ by accomplished craftsmen. The temple faces east and the rays of the rising sun fall on the deity at the crack of dawn. This temple was built based on traditional temple architecture principles.

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The simple plan of the Astabhadra consists of a sanctum sanctorum (garbha griha) for the main deity; Antarala (vestibule) and Nandimandapa or sabhamandapa with three side entrances, which belong to a Nirandhara temple. The roof of the mandapa is sloping (gable-shaped) while the superstructure of antarala and garbha griha is Kadamba-Nagara (stepped pyramidical) style. Though the temple is simple, the carvings in the mandapa pillars, lotus medallion or rosette in the ceilings, and intricate carvings of the sculptures and on the external walls are excellent.

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There is a small mandap (pillared hall) and the inner sanctum is surmounted by a three-tiered shikhara (tower) which is incomplete or which has been dismantled sometime in the distant past. There is a headless Nandi in the center of the mandap, surrounded by four matching columns. The symbol of the Kadamba kingdom, an elephant trampling a horse is carved on the base of one of the columns.

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A linga with panavatta is enshrined in the temple. This simple pranala is placed at the center of the hall as its abhishekajal flows towards the north. Bas-relief figures of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma, with their respective consorts, appear on panels on the sides of the temple. 

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River Surla flows nearby and can be reached via a flight of stone steps, providing fresh water to meet the requirements of the temple rituals and the devotees. 

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Except for the Mahadev temple at Tambdi Surla, no well-preserved temple belonging to the medieval period exists in Goa. The temple has survived Muslim invasions and Portuguese persecution in its almost perfect condition mainly due to its remote location in a clearing deep in the forest at the foot of the Western Ghats which surround the site as a sheer wall of impenetrable vegetation.

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Shanta Durga Temple of Kavle

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The impeccable beauty of the surroundings and the spiritual energy emanated by the temple of Shantadurga is an ennobling experience. Shantadurga features among the deities which are the gods and goddesses of the Saraswat Brahmins that came to Goa at the call of Parashurama. Shantadurga is an epithet of Parvati which is specific to the Konkan belt. Goan poet Borkar feels that Durga assumed a pacifying aspect when she came to Goa. The iconographical features of Shantadurga of Kavle are not found anywhere else. 

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The temple is dedicated to Shantadurga, the goddess who mediates between Vishnu and Shiva. The deity is also called ‘Santeri’ colloquially. A scriptural reference comes in the Durgasahastranamastotram of the Durgamahatmyam in the Ambikakhanda of Skandapurana. She is mentioned as the goddess who pacified Shiva and Vishnu who were engaged in a cataclysmic battle with each other for several eons. The battle was so fierce that Brahma prayed to Parvati to intervene, which she did in the form of Shantadurga. Shantadurga placed Vishnu on her right hand and Shiva on her left hand and settled the fight. Shantadurga murti is thus shown holding two serpents, one in each hand, representing Vishnu and Shiva. She became Shantadurga for having ushered in universal peace. This feat is eulogized by Maheshwar Bhatt Sukthankar, an erudite scholar from Marcel. It is this shant rupini aspect of Shantadurga that is enshrined in the hearts of her devotees. 

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The seals mentioning the deity are available dated to the 12^th century CE. The revenue record of the Communidade of the village of the year 1767 CE available with the Historical Archives of Goa mentions that the temple site is known as Sater Bhat, a property dedicated to the goddess by the Gramasamstha. The original temple was located at Quelossim (Keloshi) in Salcete and it was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1564. The goddess was, however, smuggled to Kavale and worship continued there. A small laterite mud shrine was initially built and the deity was installed in it. The mud shrine was converted into a beautiful temple whose foundation stone was laid in 1730 and the temple was completed in 1738. It has been renovated in 1966.

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A small shrine has been created by the Mahajans in Keloshi to commemorate the site of the original vighraya. The current temple was constructed during the reign of Maratha ruler Chattrapati Shahu, the grandson of Shivaji Maharaj, of Satara in about 1738. Naroram Mantri (Naroram Shenvi Rege), originally from Kochara village in the Vengurla region, was a Mantri (minister) in Shahu’s Court. He obtained finances to construct the new temple for the goddess from Shahu. Due to his efforts, the village of Kavale was bequeathed to the Temple by Shahu in 1739.

The deity Shantadurga or Sateri is worshipped in almost all villages in Goa and she is generally venerated before Varulas (ant hills). Temples dedicated to Shantadurga exist at three places in Goa – Kavle, Pemem, and Quepem.

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The temple is facing north and has a square garbhagriha, rectangular sabhamandapa, and a small porch. An image of Ganesh is on the right and a stambhadeva is on the left, before the main entrance of the sanctum in the sabhamandapa. The superstructure of the sanctum has a unique feature of a two-fold domical shikhara with a square base with a circular railing. A three-fold kalasha crowns the domical shikhara, a slanting tiled roof covers the mandapa, and a deepastambha stands in front of the temple. There is a large water tank in front of the temple to meet the daily requirements for rituals.  

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The Shanta Durga temple of Kavale is one of the finest examples of amalgamation of architectural styles. Its pyramidal shikharas, sloping roofs, and multi-Roman-arched windows with stained-glass windows, and chandeliers make this temple stand out.

Adjacent to Shantadurga temple, there is a small shrine dedicated to Lord Saptakoteshwar. 

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Shri Navadurga Temple Madkai 

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Shri Navdurga temple is situated at Madkai (pronounced in Portuguese as Madcaim) in Ponda Taluka. The Temple is dedicated to the Goddess Navadurga. The temple was originally set up in village Gaumshi in Tiswadi by Saraswats who migrated to that village from Verna. The Gramasamstha of Gaumshi had made rich endowments for the temple. However, the temple was vandalized and demolished by the Portuguese. Usually, it is believed that the temple destruction drive commenced by the Portuguese only after the arrival of Francis Xavier to Goa. But the Foral de Ilhas of 1534 maintained by the Historical Archives of Goa contains a survey report mentioning the properties owned by the temple of Navadurga and her affiliate deities. The temple servants and the Gaunkars were given the oath to recount all the properties of the temple. Such a practice continued to be followed in the taluka of Salcete after the temples of Salcete were destroyed in 1567. It is obvious that the temple of Navadurga was demolished much earlier than the conventional belief that the destruction started post-1542. Subsequently, these properties were handed over to the College of St Paul.

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The original temple had multiple idols. The rescue by the mahajans saw a few idols going to neighbouring Vengulara Redi in Maharashtra while others to Kundaim and Madkai in Ponda, Goa. Navadurga or Mahishasuramardini is a fierce avatar of Goddess Durga. She is a popular deity in Goa and, similar to Shantadurga, one comes across Navadurga temples elsewhere in the state. The Navadurgas at these two locations in Goa (along with the Navadurga at Vengulara in Maharashtra) are considered as the patron deities of a large community of people. This site in Madkai is particularly considered as the most magnificent in Goa and commands a large following. Madkai is situated on the bank of river Zuari. As such it is the most fertile village of the taluka and its Gramasamstha is the richest, with the temple enjoying a verdant physical setting. 

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The temple is almost 500 years old and was renovated in 1603 AD. The copper inscription of the grant made for the original temple is reported to exist in archives and dates back to the year 1128 CE. 

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The temple at Madkai faces west. The principal image consecrated in the Garbhagriha is in the form of Mahishasuramardini. The stone idol of the Goddess is placed on a raised platform in the Garbha griha of the temple in a standing position and is four feet tall. The peculiarity of this image is that the head of the goddess is depicted bent towards the left. The deity in her form is highly venerated in Goa. Lord Ganesh, Betala, Narayana, Grampurush, and Ravalnath are the other deities worshipped at this temple. Another attraction of the temple is that the walls have wooden carvings of the Vedic Gods, with their consorts and vahanas, not found anywhere else.

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The Palakhi (palanquin) of Navadurga is taken out on Shukla Navami every month. Thousands of people gather at this temple during the month of November (the Hindu month of Kartika) from Vidya Chaturthi to Dashami for the annual Jatra. Another festival that is celebrated here with great pomp is Navaratri. 

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The visit to the Navadurga Temple was not a part of our tour. However, Vaibhav Kamat, an alumnus of Rashtram was helping out the organizers since he was a local. Madkai was his ancestral village. That day we finished the day’s visits by afternoon and Vaibhav was insistent on taking us to watch the sunset from the point where the Zuari River meets the Arabian Sea, and where one could see the railway bridge, road bridge, ferry, and occasionally an aircraft (being on the flight path of commercial flights) all at one place! And he did mention that the village also had a temple. Most of us were not too keen on watching a sunset after a day of visiting temples! But Vaibhav’s enthusiasm was infectious and many in our group agreed. A bus was hired in a hurry and off we went for the only night sojourn during our stay in Goa. Madaki has a ferry to Cortalim, from where the sunset was to be seen.

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Fortunately for us, we all decided to go to the ferry point first and visit the temple on the way back, in the hope that we would catch the evening aarti. It was a half-hour ferry ride, surprisingly free of charge! Including cars and two-wheelers. A lovely trip along the huge Zuari River. The Konkan Rail and highway bridges were adjacent to each other and as we approached the ferry destination, we did get a glimpse of an aircraft flying over the bridges – a unique moment. A massive suspension highway bridge was under construction and we rushes from the ferry point to go under the bridge to get a clear view of the setting sun. It was worth the effort and we did enjoy nature painting the sky in a changing myriad of colours as the sunset. On our return to Madkai, the evening’s surprise awaited us!

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Vaibhav’s ancestors have been providing seva at the temple for generations, his grandfather had made the silver doorframe at the entrance to the garbh griha – it was so minutely carved that it took 12 years to complete! We met the Pradhan Archak Makarand Ghaisas and it was a pleasure to see the ‘tejas’ on his face as he took us around the temple and conveyed extracts from the ancient scriptures in our interaction with him. He was very knowledgeable and meeting him was a humbling experience.  

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The temple has a unique collection of wooden carvings of Vedic Devi and Devtas, with their consorts and vahanas. It was a great learning experience as many details explained by the Pradhan Archak were not known to us. That day was Shukla Navami and we learned that the murti of Ma Bhawani would be taken out in a palaki later in the night. It was an unexpected bonus for us! The whole village seemed to be present for the event. The resounding music of beating drums and ringing bells during the aarti ensured that all present were transported to another level, and when the radiant golden Utsav murti emerged in the bedecked palaki, the divine experience was complete. One could feel the energy pulsating through the temple. Truly, the call of Ma Bhawani had brought us to her that evening.

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Devaki Krishna Temple of Marcel

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The village of Marcel exudes devotion. The commitment that Mashelkars have shown towards their duty of offering shelter and protection to the endangered Hindu deities during the terrible saga of temple destruction in the 16th century is exemplary. Numerous gods and goddesses made Marcel their cherished abode in the aftermath of that dark period. As such Marcel has turned out to be a miniature heaven on earth. Marcel happens to be the village with the maximum number of temples, having temples of more than 15 deities. It is also here that I first heard the term “Refugee Temple”, and the sadness which overwhelmed me on hearing it. What horrors that our civilization has had to endure for centuries, and the sacrifices which our ancestors made to ensure that our heritage and traditions continued to be upheld. Especially the Brahman mahajans who risked their all to save their deity. 

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The story of the Devaki Krishna temple is mentioned in the sacred book of Harivamsha. The 18th battle between Krishna and Jarasandha, the King of Magadh, was fought at the foot of Gomant Parvat. Worried about the outcome of this battle, Devaki set herself on the trail to where her son was. After having defeated Jarasandha when Krishna was returning home, he met his mother Devaki on the island of Chodamani. Greatly relieved, Devaki expressed her long unfulfilled desire to hold Krishna and bestow motherly love on him, the pleasure which had been denied to her as he had been taken away soon after birth. Krishna assumed the form of a baby to fulfill her desire. It is this magical moment that is immortalized in the murti of Devaki Krishna, where Krishna is held in Devaki’s left hand. The murti is beautifully carved in black stone. 

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The unique feature of this temple is that this is the only temple in India where Lord Krishna is worshipped alongside Mother Devaki as Devaki Krishna.

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The temple of the Devaki Krishna was initially located at Chodan, having the main deity as Devaki Krishna and affiliate deities of Bhumika Devi, Laxmi Ravalnath, Mallinath, Katyayani, Chodaneshwar and Dhada Shankar. The Sahyadri kanda refers to Chodan as Chudamani (Chorao island). Though the structural remains of the temple are no longer seen at the original site, the temple water tank is still partially visible and the memory of the temple is still alive in popular memory. Even today at the time of the Shigmotsav, the people of the village converge on the old site of the temple to pay their respects. The murti of Devaki Krishna was shifted across the river to Maye village in the taluka of Dicholi. After some years when Portuguese missionaries began to cast their evil eye on that region too, the murti had to be again shifted to Marcel in the Antruz Mahal which was under the control of the Desais. The murti was temporarily housed in a building called Chduki owned by one Mr Vadiye, which has been now converted into a multipurpose hall. The Shilalekha issued in Sanskrit and placed in the garbha griha of Devaki Krishna signifies that the existing temple was inaugurated in 1842 CE. 

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A unique practice followed here is that during the annual festival, the smaller Utsav murti of Devaki Krishna is taken out and put in the lap of couples wanting to be blessed with children. 

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Brahma Temple At Brahma Karmali In Sattari

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The Brahma temple is situated at Brahma Karmali near Nagar village which lies northwest of Valpoi in Sattari Taluka. The idol of Brahma was shifted in 1541 CE from Carambolim in Ilhas (Tiswadi) Taluka to this place to escape destruction by the Portuguese. Hence, the village Karmali (Chandidogrem) has its origin in the village of the same name in Tiswadi Taluka. 

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The temple faces east and consists of a square garbhagriha, a rectangular sabhamandapa, and a rectangular hall with a raised platform at the rear end. The garbha griha is plain and measures 5.00 x 5.25 meters. It has a covered cell for the main deity with an entrance from sabhamandapa. A 1.5 meters high beautifully carved murti of Brahma, sporting a beard, is placed in the middle of the garbha griha on a three-fold pedestal (Pitha). The Brahma murti in this temple stands tall and elegant along with his consorts, Saraswati and Gayatri who are shown in a tribanga pose. It is a chaturmukhi murti, with one face visible from behind. The murti of Brahma is dated to the Kadamba period from the 12th century. The importance of this temple and Brahma idol lies in the fact that it is the original sculpture chiseled out of a black stone during the Kadamba period.

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Harvalem Shaiva Cave Temple

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The name Harvalem might have been derived from Hara – Shiva and Haiti – village, harahalli. From this, it took the colloquial form, Aravalem (or Harvalem). Presently pronounced as Arvalem, it has taken an important place in the archaeological world map through the world-famous rock-cut caves in laterite. 

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The rock-cut caves at Harvalem are the first-ever and largest cave excavations in laterite rock in India. These caves are situated near the Harvalem waterfall near the ancient Rudreshwar temple in Sanquelim village in Bicholim taluka. There are altogether five shrine chambers and one room in the caves. Local tradition associates these caves with the five Pandava brothers of Mahabharata and their wife Draupadi. The overall cave structure measures 28 meters long and 8 meters in height cut into the low laterite outcrop, descending from North East to South West. Three major caves and one small one with a residential chamber at the northern end show that it might have been used as a Vihara initially. Two major caves and one small cave have direct access from the rectangular ardhamantapa or common veranda. The residential chamber has separate access from the front courtyard. A thin curtain wall, which leads from ardhamantapa, separates the major caves into two separate blocks. The northern chamber is a square hall with a separate entrance, free-standing pillars, and pilasters. A regular cornice has been provided over the pillars and a bold kantha is also shown in the form of a beam above and below it, which gives an indication that it was excavated later. The existence of a semi-circular rock-cut step for one entrance and a rectangular shape rock-cut step for another entrance also strongly supports the view that the cave excavation was carried out in two different phases. 

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The southern side chamber contains three linga shrines, which are detachable from their laterite pedestal or pitha. The northern chamber has a lone linga shrine with a pitha, which is also detachable. All linga shrines are made of greenish schist stone in different shapes. The southernmost and southwest linga shrines in the triple shrine chamber are inscribed, while the others are plain. Linga shrines of cave Nos. l and 3 are engraved with Parasva Sutras. The style of Parasva Sutras of these lingas resembles the style developed during the 5th century CE. The Linga shrine of cave No. 3 belongs to dvibhiga type (bottom square and top circular) and similar features can be traced to the developed linga shrines of the pre-Chalukyan period in other parts of the country. 

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Worshipping five lingas in a common ardhmandapa is a rare phenomenon. According to Karangagama, Panchalingaradhana is for Pancha Pithakaneisanam. Hence Panchalingeirddhana might have been prevalent here. The major cave chambers are massive though simple, without any ornamentation like lotus, Naga huddles in the ceilings, like in the early Chalukyan caves at Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, etc. Hence one can assume that the Harvalem group of caves belongs to the pre-Chalukyan period. 

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Rudreshwar Temple

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The temple of Rudreshwar is located at Arvalem in Bicholim Taluka. Shree Rudreshwar Temple is newly built on the site of an ancient site and is also known as the temple of Lord Shiva, where devotees go to seek blessings for themselves and their ancestors. The beautiful Arvalem waterfalls are located adjacent to the temple. The image of Lord Rudreshwar is facing the waterfall. 

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The word ‘Arvalem’ denotes to Marathi word ‘Haravali’. ‘Haravali’ means greenery, which surrounds the temple. The folklore is that a cow used to go into the jungles of Arvalem and on its return, it did not have any milk. The owner of the cow followed the cow to find the reason. He was surprised to see that the cow was milking and its milk was falling on a Shiva linga in the forest; that is how the Shivlinga was discovered. The people in the village thereafter consecrated the Shivalinga and the Shiv Mandir (Rudreshwar Temple) came into existence at Arvalem.

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The exact age of the temple or consecration of the Shivlinga cannot be traced, but some historians date the temple to the 5^th or 6^th century CE. 

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Arvalem Waterfalls

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A short distance from the regional town of Bicholim, along the road from Mayem Lake, lies the village of Sanquelim. This is the place where the colonial government settled its Rajput mercenaries (known as the ‘Ranes’) in the mid-1700s and where the same mercenaries staged their successful uprisings during the 19th century. Near Sanquelim are the Harvalem Caves and a short 10-minute drive from the caves, are the Harvalem Waterfalls. This waterfall, which cascades down from a height of 50 meters, is not as awe-inspiring as the Dudhsagar Waterfalls but is interesting all the same. These waterfalls are beautiful and set in majestic surroundings with hilly slopes covered with verdant greenery, so characteristic of the Goan forests, and with the Rudreshwar temple in its vicinity. 

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Archaeological Survey of India Museum Old Goa

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Our last visit of the tour was to the Archaeological Museum of India, Old Goa. It is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and it is located at the back of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in the portion which was earlier a convent. The museum has many artifacts of the Portuguese rule in India. Its exhibits are divided into eight galleries. The biggest comprises of the portraits of the Portuguese Viceroys and Governors of Goa. There are many displays of the pre-Portuguese period. The exhibits are supposedly displayed based on the historical timeline of Goa, but to a visitor, they appear to be placed at random as no boards/displays provide a historical timeline of Goa since the earliest days.   

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The museum was a bit of a letdown, as it appeared more of a Portuguese museum than an Indian one. The pre-Portuguese period exhibits displayed were limited to archaeological artifacts, and no information was given about the dynasties/rulers who ruled Goa in the pre-Portuguese period. And the narrative conveyed through the boards and plaques alongside each exhibit continues to eulogize the colonialists. To the extent that one plaque proudly states that India “annexed” Goa in 1961! As if the Indian Army invaded a foreign land and occupied it. The Museum has also glossed over the darkest chapter of Goan history – that of the 252-year-long Goa Inquisition. During which untold and unmentionable horrors were perpetuated on the locals. Few paintings from the colonial period continue to portray Hindus as the perpetrators of various crimes against the Portuguese. It is time to undertake an overall review of what and how the Museum should depict our past. And display historical facts, not cover them up.    

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Conclusion

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The “Goa Beyond Beaches” tour was indeed an eye-opener – beyond the mundane beaches. The vibrant interiors are steeped in history, culture, and tradition. Indeed, Goa provides a perfect example of a suppressed community on the brink of being wiped out, reviving its roots and ancient traditions through unshakeable faith and unbelievable acts of courage in the face of death. Moving to regenerate their faith through an ecosystem in which the temple played a central role in the community. The temple is not just a physical structure, but a living and breathing institution, which became the catalyst for encouraging Dharmic practices by establishing codes of conduct and behaviour. The grit and resilience of the Hindus have always shone through – remember that the Somnath temple was sacked and resurrected around 17 times!

A natural question that arises is: what makes the dharmic tradition so resilient? Firstly, due to the element of tolerance ingrained in Sanatana Dharma. This flexible, albeit almost loose, yet fairly strong association perfectly encapsulates the paradox of Brahman and is one of the key reasons for the resilience of Sanatana Dharma. The second major reason is that politics and faith have never been as closely coupled and connected as in many of the Abrahamic religions. Therefore, we never had a pope or a caliph start a war. Hinduism has always had the Brahmins maintain a certain position in society, irrespective of who the kings were. This does not imply a hereditary idea of who is a Brahmin but rather the idea that anyone who has certain traits and knowledge is a Brahmin. Since Hinduism is such a personal religion without any over-reliance on any central figure or place of worship or even text, beyond a point, destroying any one of these or even all of these still does not break the spirit of Hinduism. That is the beauty and strength of Hinduism.

To drive home the point that temples play a pivotal role in the community, I came across a map compiling a list of 279 temples in Goa – incredible indeed!

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Part I – History of Goa

To go to Part I of this blog – the History of Goa – click here.

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Part III – Temples of Goa (continued)

To go to Part III of this blog – Temples of Goa (continued) – click here.

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Other Publications

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1. A slightly abridged version of this article has been published by the Centre of Indic Studies. This can be read here.

2. Based on this blog, another article has been published in the magazine Salute. It can be read here.

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Note: All photographs displayed above are my exclusive property and copyright; their use is prohibited without explicit consent, in writing.

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