Hinduism in Goa

The coveted coast was ruled by the likes of the Mauryans, Marathas, Bhojas, Chalukyas and Kadambas, and their temples are abundantly peppered between Goa’s winding hills and thriving fields. They have traded in extravagant edifices for survival in a dynamic and often hostile religious climate. Idols salvaged from ancient temples during foreign pillages have been sheltered in modern structures, and acts of worship preserved across centuries. Though most shrines were destroyed by the Portuguese, some have survived as an amalgamation of Hindu, Muslim and Christian architecture unique to the state. Pre-Portuguese temples were made chiefly of granite; the newer ones are made of red laterite, often remnants of material used to build churches. The cupolas of inverted lotuses that crown the domes are a clear indication of the Muslim influence on Hindu architecture.

Mangeshi Temple traces its origin to the Puranas. Legend has it that Shiva came to Goa on exile after losing to his wife Parvati in a game of dice. When Parvati followed, looking for him, Shiva mischievously disguised himself as a tiger. Faced with Shiva’s feline disguise, Parvati cried “Trahi Mam Girisha” (Protect me, Lord of the Mountains!), at which Shiva immediately regained his normal form. This particular incarnation is present exclusively in Goan mythology, remembered by the phrase ‘Mam Girisha’, which has been adapted to ‘Mangesh’.

The temple was an important pilgrimage centre well before the Portuguese set foot on Goa’s sandy shores in 1510. By 1560, the political climate began to change, and the Portuguese began destroying temples to consolidate Christianity. The Mangesh idol was moved to territory ruled by a Hindu prince, and settled in a hamlet now known as Mangeshi. The original temple in Mangeshi must have been little more than a shed. The present hallowed halls would have taken shape post 1866.

A long column at the entrance called the ‘deepa stambha’ draws the eye skyward, and is a distinctive feature of Goan temples. Since most festivals at the temple are held in the evenings, this lamp tower shows off the temple at its finest. The chandeliered hall called the ‘sabha griha’ can hold 500 worshippers at a time. The silver panelled entrance is typical of Goan temples, its design echoed even in the smallest temples of the state. 

The Mahalsa Temple in Ponda celebrates an incarnation of Lord Vishnu

The Mahalsa fable is, again, unique to Goa’s heritage. According to the Bhagwat Purana, the gods lost ‘amrut’, the elixir of immortality, to demons, precariously tilting the balance between good and evil. To wrest it back, Lord Vishnu transformed himself into Mohini, the most beautiful woman in the world. She cajoled the demons into allowing her to distribute the elixir, in turn handing over the reins of immortal power back to the gods. This particular avatar was known as ‘Mahalsa’, the fulfiller of wishes, and the temple is a harbour for those submitting their hopes to a higher power.

The Shantadurga temple lies 12 kilometres ahead, and at first sight looks like it was plucked straight out of Portugal by its dome. The cluster of buildings is typically European; the lamp tower, the tulsi and the water tank are perhaps the only signs of temple architecture. The modern façade of these temples often veil the fact that they are manifestations of a millennia-old religion. Though the present temple was built between 1713 and 1738, it has its roots in Keloshi.

The temple celebrates the dual avatar of Parvati, Shiva’s consort. As Durga, the goddess is at her most violent, and as Shanta, she epitomises peace. It is fabled that she brokered peace between Vishnu and Shiva as Durga, thereby twining the opposing natures in one entity. In spite of her power as Durga, locals worship her as the harbinger of peace, a touching insight into the spirit of Goa.

In the midst of the state’s webbed forest cover, surrounded by hills and laced by a river, lies its most ancient temple, built in the 12th century. The Mahadeva temple at Tambdi Surla survived as it was built away from the major settlements of the time, a Kadamba-Yadava hybrid in black basalt. It faces east, and the first ray of the rising sun illuminates the Shiva idol at dawn.

Carvings of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma sprout from the walls, the exquisite artistry carried into the interior of the temple. The Kadamba medallion of an elephant trampling a horse is engraved into one of the columns flanking Nandi, the carrier of Lord Shiva. The temple is incomplete, yet, every Mahashivaratri, devotees from the surrounding villages throng the temple, discounting edificial grandeur for religious significance.

Deepa Stambha

Vedic Hindu colleges or ‘mutts’ carry on the tradition of Sanskrit and Vedic learning. The Kavale Mutt in Kavlem, Ponda, is the oldest mutt of the Saraswat Brahmins and belongs to the Smarta tradition. The presiding deity is Bhavani Shankar. Most of Goa’s Vaishnava Saraswats are affiliated to the Patragal Mutt in Canacona, which worships Vira Vithala.

The essence of Goa and the goodness of its people are inlaid in the legends that shroud these marigold garlanded shrines. The youthful playfulness of Lord Shiva as Mangesh, the beauty of Vishnu as Mahalsa and the serenity of Shantadurga, capable of fury but choosing grace, define its nature. Perhaps that is why the gods walked these lands, sprinkling their virtues across its verdant space. Goa truly is a sliver of Paradise.