Temples
in Goa
Temple
of Shri Mahadev at Tambdi Suria
The
most ancient temple in the whole of Goa is located at a place called Tambi
Surla which is approximately 65 kms from the capital city of Panaji and 12
kms from the border crossing post of Mollem. Tambdi Surla itself is in the
midst of a forested area accessible via a 22 kms route from the main town of
Valpoi in Sattari Taluka.
The temple itself is built in Jain style
in the twelfth century. There are some interesting details about the
construction itself which has led to debates about the actual origins of the
temple. The temple is built in a place which is quite inaccessible and away
from the main settlements of the time. The size of the temple is quite small
as compared to the size of the average Goan temple. And finally the top part
of the temple has never been completed.
The small, beautifully
carved and perfectly proportioned black basalt temple is dedicated to Lord
Shiva and is reminiscent of the temples at Aihole in neighbouring Karnataka.
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
in a sheer wall of impenetrable vegetation.
The temple is located
at the foot of the Anmod Ghat, which connects Goa to the state of Karnataka.
It is considered to be the only specimen of Kadamba-Yadava architecture in
basalt stone preserved and available in Goa.
The Kadamba dynasty
ruled Goa between the tenth and fourteenth centuries 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 intricate carvings created by these
craftsmen adorn the interior and the sides of the building. The temple faces
east so that the rays of the rising sun fall on the deity at the crack of
dawn. There is a small mandap (pillared hall) and the inner sanctum is
surmounted by a three-tired tower which is incomplete or which has been
dismantled sometime in the distant past.
Bas-relief figures of
Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, with their respective consorts
appear on panels at the sides of the temple. Surprisingly the mandap is
covered with a roof of plain grey sloping slabs.
The river Surla
flows nearby and can be reached via a flight of stone steps. There is a
headless Nandi (bull, Shiva's vehicle) in the centre 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.
There
is a linga (symbol of Lord Shiva) mounted on a pedestal inside the inner
sanctum and local legend has it that a huge King Cobra is in permanent
residence in the dimly lit interior.
The festival of Mahashivratri
is celebrated with all pomp and gaiety at the temple by the local people
residing in surrounding villages.
Goa
City Guide
