Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla, Goa

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.

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