Few would associate Goa with temple architecture, but it’s a mistake they would do well to remedy. With its earliest temples dating back to the 4th century during the reign of the Kadamba dynasty, these ancient structures blend indigenous Goan architecture with influences from Buddhism, Jainism and South Indian temple designs. The sacred sites have stood the test of time, witnessing the rise and fall of empires, colonial rule and the evolution of Goa into the thriving state it is today.
In a bid to enhance the spiritual and cultural heritage of Goa, the state government signed a memorandum of understanding with Temple Connect, a platform for building a temple circuit around the world, in June last year. This winter, if you’re keen on exploring Goa’s heritage in all its glory, consider checking out the following temples during your trip.
The oldest surviving temple in Goa is the 12th-century Mahadeva Temple of Tambdi Surla. The small, beautifully carved and perfectly proportioned black basalt temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered to be the only specimen of Kadamba-Yadava architecture in basalt stone to be preserved in the state. The temple faces east so that the rays of the rising sun fall on the deity at the crack of dawn. Bas-relief figures of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, with their respective consorts, appear on panels at the sides of the temple. The mandapa (assembly hall) is covered with a roof of plain grey sloping slabs, and four matching columns surround a headless Nandi in the centre of the mandapa.
The symbol of the Kadamba kingdom, an elephant trampling a horse, is carved on the base of one of the columns. The lingam, which symbolises Shiva, is mounted on a pedestal inside the inner sanctum. According to a local legend, a huge king cobra is in permanent residence in the dimly lit interior. Perhaps the best time to visit the Mahadeva Temple is during the festival of Maha Shivratri, which is celebrated with pomp and gaiety by the local people.
Also dedicated to Shiva, the Saptakoteshwar Temple of Naroa is one of the great Shiva temples in the Konkan area. Believed to have been constructed over 1,500 years ago, this ancient temple holds immense religious significance for devotees who flock here to seek blessings and spiritual solace. Set against a backdrop of tranquil forests and meandering streams, the temple's architecture blends Hindu and Portuguese influences, offering a unique glimpse into Goa's rich cultural heritage. The temple is situated in an archaeologically important area with its shallow Mughal dome mounted on octagonal drum-sloping tiled roofs, a European-style mandapa and a tall lamp tower. The surroundings of the temple are tinged with several Brahminical laterite and stone caves. Thus, the Saptakoteshwar Temple is not merely a place of worship but a timeless symbol of devotion and reverence.
Legend has it that Lord Brahma, the creator of the Hindu holy trinity, was to have just one temple at Pushkar, Rajasthan. However, less well-known to most people is a Brahma temple tucked away in a remote village of Nagargao in Valpoi. The Brahma statue here stands tall and elegant, and dates back to the Kadamba period in the 12th century. Inside the temple, the idol of Brahma in the centre is shown in the Trimurti form of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.
According to historians, in the 16th century when the island of Tiswadi was conquered by the Portuguese, there was a fear of the temple's destruction. Hence, in 1541, the devotees of Brahma smuggled the deity out of Karmali village in Old Goa and carried it to the Sattari taluka (subdistrict), which at that time was not under Portuguese rule. When the region came under Portuguese control in 1781, the devotees then took the idol to Valpoi village and from there to the dense forest area of Nagargao, where they installed the image in a small shrine on the banks of a stream. This small hamlet later came to be known after the deity Brahma and the village of its origin, Karmali (in the Tiswadi taluka), hence the name Brahma Karmali.
The Shanta Durga Temple started off as a small laterite mud shrine in Ponda before being converted into a beautiful temple whose foundation stone was laid in 1730. The 18th-century temple is dedicated to Shanta Durga, the goddess who mediates between Vishnu and Shiva. In fact, local legends tell of a battle between Shiva and Vishnu, which was so fierce that Brahma prayed to the goddess Parvati to intervene, which she did in the form of Shanta Durga. The goddess placed Vishnu on her right hand and Shiva on her left, settling the fight.
Inside the temple, the deity is shown holding two serpents, one in each hand, representing the male gods. This captivating portrayal symbolises the goddess's unwavering commitment to peace and her eternal quest for balance amidst chaos. The original Shanta Durga temple at Kelosim was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1564, after which the goddess was transferred to Kavalem. The current temple was constructed during the reign of Maratha ruler Chattrapati Shahu, who was the grandson of Shivaji Maharaj. A minister in Shahu’s court obtained the finances to construct a new temple for the goddess, which was finally completed in 1738.
Also situated in Ponda is the Nagueshi Temple. Unlike many other Hindu temples of Goa, which had to be moved due to Portuguese conquest, the Nagueshi Temple is in its original place. A stone plaque near the temple, which dates to 1413, describes the donation of the surrounding lands to the temple by a local family. This took place during the reign of Veer Pratap Devraya of the Vijayanagar kingdom. There are stone idols of Shiva, Parvati and Ganesh inside the temple which actually date back to the 7th and 8th centuries, leading to conjecture that the temple has been in existence since that time.
However, the present day building is a recent construction, having been renovated and patched up around 1880. The colourful images of gods and goddesses around the base of the deepstambha (lamp tower) and an ancient tali (water reservoir) that is surrounded by palms make this temple a visual feast for the eyes. The reservoir is built so that standing at a certain location around the tali, one can view the reflection of the idol of Lord Naguesh and the lighted lamps in the inner sanctum.