5 Ancient Shiva Temples in Goa offer a spiritual journey through history and devotion. Nestled amidst lush landscapes, these temples are not only religious sanctuaries but also showcase the rich architectural and cultural heritage of the region.
5 Ancient Shiva Temples in Goa
5 Ancient Shiva Temples in Goa is home to numerous incredibly old, exquisite, and culturally significant temples from bygone eras?
The most fascinating truth is that the Konkani tribes, under the rule of the Maratha Empire, originally resided in Goa, which is now more closely linked to the Portuguese. The Portuguese
and the Deccan Sultanate demolished old temples, but the Maratha dynasty utilized all of its resources to reconstruct them. These temples are now among the most amazing, spectacular, and breathtaking in all of Goa.
Here are the top 5 oldest Shiva temples in Goa; they are definitely worth seeing while you’re there!
Mangeshi Temple
Nine kilometers north of Ponda stands the fabled Shiva temple known as Manguesh Temple in Goa. It is the renowned Mangeshkar family’s and Gaud Saraswat Brahmins’ family deity. Experts believe that the earliest component of the temple is the temple tank, dating back to 1413. The 18th century saw the construction of the current hallowed structure that houses the Shivlingam. The main temple, a seven-story deepmala, a nandi bull, and angshalas are all located in the courtyard of the temple. The Gaud Saraswat Brahmins relocated the temple from its original location in order to shield the god from Portuguese conversions. The story of Bhagwan Shiva losing his belongings to his wife Mata Parvati, who saved him from a ferocious tiger, is the source of the temple’s name.
Shrine devoted to the family deities are also located within the temple complex.
Porne Tirth / Koti Tirth Tali
Porne Tirth, or the ancient pilgrimage of Goa, is located in the small but historic settlement of Naroa on the easternmost tip of Divar Island in Goa. In the 12th century, the peaceful village housed the Kul Devta of the Kadamba dynasty, Saptkoteshwar Mahadev Temple. The Bahamani Sultans’ Islamic influence throughout the 14th century, however, was unavoidable for the temple. The Portuguese invasion eventually destroyed
the temple in the fifteenth century, after the Vijaynagar dynasty rebuilt it towards the end of the fourteenth century.
Even though someone removed and placed the Shivlinga elsewhere, no one ever rebuilt the old temple. Today, all that remains are the remnants of a small, irregular lake with steps leading to it and laterite walls enclosing it on one side.
The walls contain a number of tiny niches that are interesting to see and strongly evoke bygone eras. Standing next to the big trees and untidy shrubs surrounding the water body, you feel a combination of serenity and somberness.
Although there isn’t a temple here, the ruins of this hallowed site, guarded by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), still reflect the people’s faith.
Hatkeshwar Mahadev
After leaving the Porne Tirth, continue walking and you will reach Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple, another stunning gem of a temple.
The temple, which is located on the farthest point of the island, is essentially a picture-perfect example of tranquility.
When we arrived, the sky was cloudy and the temple was empty. It soon began to rain. We were unable to leave due to the breathtaking beauty we witnessed.
The temple, perched one storey above the surrounding terrain, offers views of the serenely meandering Mandovi River. The sanctum sanctorum, also known as the garbhagriha, is immediately facing the mountains in the distance. The endless vistas of the surrounding landscape genuinely convey a sense of timelessness and the mystical union of Shiv and Shakti.
Tamdi Surla
Nearly a millennium old, Tambdi Surla is the oldest Goan temple still standing, located in the Western Ghats’ foothills. Tambdi Surla, located deep within a dense jungle in the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary on the Goa-Karnataka boundary, is one of the few Kadamba-era temples that survived conquest and devastation by Muslim and Portuguese invaders.
The Deccan Plateau, which is located on the other side of the mountains, provided the excellent weather-resistant gray basalt rock that the Kadambas used to build the temple. The elaborate carvings on the temple’s exterior
and interior walls reveal a great deal about the craftsmanship of the artisans in those days. There have been discussions regarding the temple’s origins because of the structure’s resemblance to the temples of Aihole, Karnataka, as well as the architecture’s apparent Jain influences.
The temple is breathtaking, particularly in the rainy season. The surrounding river Surla fills up during the monsoon, which adds to the temple’s allure. During the rainy season, Tambdi Surla draws a large number of tourists with its flowing sound resonating through the verdant surroundings and a low mist cover hanging on the ghats.
Although it was originally difficult to reach, the temple is now easily accessible by road. To get to the location, cars, taxis, and buses are readily available. The location is 12 miles from the Mollem border crossing point and 65 km from Panaji, the capital of Goa.
Nagesh Maharudra Temple / Nageshi Temple, Bandora
The Nageshi Temple in Bandora is another Goan temple that escaped the Portuguese conquest. Despite several renovations to the current edifice, the deities of Lord Shiva, Parvati, and Ganeshji date back to the seventh century.
This temple, which honors Lord Shiva, is located in the village of Bandora, four kilometers east of Ponda.
The deity of Lord Shiva is a Syambhu, not carved by humans but rather developed organically. The temple’s gopuram features beautifully carved intricate directions.
The temple features a tiny water tank, or tali, in front and faces west rather than east. The view of the temple across the tank is stunning since you can see the temple’s reflection in the water, which makes it appear much more lovely when surrounded by lush vegetation.
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