Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla, Goa
Mahadev Temple is a 12th Century Hindu Temple
dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Tambdi Surla Village near Valpoi Town in
Sattari Taluk of Goa, India. It is notable as the oldest temple in Goa. 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 temple is situated
in Tambdi Surla Village,
located east of Bolcornem village, in the north east region of the Bhagawan
Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. The temple has been
declared as a protected historical monument by the Archaeological Survey of
India.
History
The temple was built by Hemadri,
the minister of the Yadava King Ramachandra in the year
1271 AD. The Jain style
construction has led to debates about the origins of the temple, since
the Kadamba Dynasty ruled Goa between the
10th and 14th Centuries. The temple is built in the Hemadpanthi style
from basalt,
carried across the mountains from the Deccan
plateau. It is considered to be the only specimen of Kadamba-Yadava
architecture in basalt stone preserved and available in Goa. The temple
survived invasions and the Goa
Inquisition due to its remote location in a clearing deep in
the forest at the foot of the Western
Ghats which surround the site.
The Temple
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and
is reminiscent of the temples at Aihole in
neighboring Karnataka. The temple consists of garbhagriha
(sanctum), antarala and a pillared Nandi
mandapa
built of basalt.
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 four pillars embellished with intricate carvings of
elephants and chains support a stone ceiling decorated with finely carved lotus
flowers.
The intricate carvings created by skilled craftsmen
adorn the interior and the sides of the building. Bas-relief figures of Lord
Shiva, Lord Vishnu and
Lord Brahma,
with their respective consorts appear on panels at the sides of
the temple. Unusually, the mandap (pillared hall) is covered with a roof of
plain grey sloping slabs. The temple faces east so that the first rays of the
rising sun shine on the deity. There is a small mandap and the inner sanctum is
surmounted by a three-tiered tower whose top is incomplete or has been
dismantled sometime in the distant past.
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. The temple is built in a place which
is quite inaccessible and away from the main settlements of the time. The
temple is small compared to the average Goan temple. The river Surla flows
nearby and is reachable for ritual bathing by a flight of stone steps.
Festivals
The festival of Mahashivaratri is
celebrated with pomp and gaiety at the temple by local people residing in
surrounding villages.
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about 100 meters from Tambdi
Surla Bus Stop, 25 Kms from Valpoi, 26 Kms from Valpoi KTC Bus Stand, 34 Kms
from Kalem Railway Station, 37 Kms from Ponda, 55 Kms from Margao, 67 Kms from Panaji
and 71 Kms from Goa International Airport, Panaji. The temple is at the foot of
the Anmod Ghat
in Tambdi Surla, which connects Goa to the state of Karnataka.
It is located in Bhagawan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. Tambdi
Surla itself is in the midst of a forested area accessible via a 26 Kms route
from the main town of Valpoi in Sattari Taluk.
