Vijaya Durga Temple, Keri, Ponda, Goa

Vijaya Durga Temple, Keri, Ponda, Goa

Vijaya Durga Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Durga, located in Keri near Ponda in South Goa District of Goa State, India. Vijaya Durga is considered as family deity as well as Pallavi of many Brahmins.

Legends

According to local legends, it was said that once Shanta Durga of Keloshi who is now worshiped in Kavlem wanted to venture out in the Arabian sea. She went to Colva to meet her sister Mahalakshmi which was then located in Colva, now in (Bandivade / Bandora). Then, Goddess sought permission from her husband Shri Mangesh Maharudra, (which was then located in Kushasthali, now in Mangeshi) and took her leave. In order to reach the sea, the Goddess had to cross Murgaon - Sankwal (modern day Mormugoa -Sancoale).

On her way, the Goddess witnessed a very gruesome scene, a demon (asura) named Kaal-Antak / Kalantakasura was harassing the Saraswat Brahmins – impeding their rituals and causing great catastrophe to Sancoale. The Saraswat brahmins from sancoale had their Kuladevi as Shanta Durga of Keloshi and Lakshmi Narasimha as their Kuladev. One of the Brahmin peasant who was troubled witnessed the Goddess and knelt before her and prayed to save Sankwal and its inhabitants.

He promised to build a temple in her honour. Shanta Durga of Sankhavali is never seated on a carnivore (tiger or lion), but instead an elephant which is associated and assumed to be her vahana. Shanta Durga with her divine powers transformed herself into a Mahisasuramardini mounted on an elephant and commanded the demon to stop. A fierce war was fought between the demon and the Goddess.

Shanta Durga was victorious, the inhabitants of sancoale graced the Goddess and called her 'Vijaya'. Hence a temple in her honour was built which was called Vijay Shanta Durga or Vijaya Durga. The Vijaya Durga temple was once located in close proximity to Shri Shankleshwari Shanta Durga and Shri Lakshmi Narsimha in Sancoale but had to be shifted to Kerim, Ponda Taluk in Goa.

History

Shanta Durga Sankhwaleshwari is located in present-day Velinga, Gothana (Goa) and Vijaya Durga is located in Curti, Kerim (Goa). These Deities were once located in modern-day Sancoale (Sankwal), Salcette Taluk. The humongous Pipal tree marked the territory of the two prominent temples in Sancoale (Narcinva and Shanta Durga). Due to the forceful Portuguese inquisition and mass destruction of temples in Sancoale by Diogo Rodrigues, the Captain of Rachol Fort in the year 1567, the deities were shifted from their present locations.

The temple of Narcinva along with Shanta Durga were burnt down on 15 March 1567. Days later the Vijaya Durga temple suffered the same fate. The immovable deities were axed and powdered for the construction of churches. It is said that the Saraswats who migrated with the idol of the Goddess from Sancoale, halted at the Mahadev/Maddhava temple in Agapur - Durbhat which is located on the banks of Zuari (Aghnashini). They had decided on to build a temple in the vicinity, but due to the predictions divined by the oracle, the idol had to be shifted to Kerim, Shiva its present location.

As it is quite common amongst the Konkani Saraswats to refer their deities colloquially, subsequently these goddesses too have a pen name bestowed upon them, for instance 'Sateri' as referred to Shanta Durga all over Goa and 'Vaijari' specifically to Vijaya Durga. Hence at times the Kanarite Saraswats often refer their Kuladevatha as "Santeri" Vaijari Narasimha". The temple has recently banned entry of foreigners into the temple citing objectionable dressing and conduct as the reason.

Pooja Timings

8.00 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.	Abhishek
1.00 p.m.	Aarti
8.30 p.m.	Evening Aarti
8.30 p.m.	Palakhi: Fortnightly on Dashami day

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 300 meters from Keri Vijaya Durga Temple Bus Stop, 500 meters from Keri Hanuman Temple Bus Stop, 10 Kms from Ponda, 10 Kms from Ponda Old Bus Stand, 10 Kms from Ponda New Bus Stand, 17 Kms from Karmali Railway Station, 27 Kms from Panaji and 28 Kms from Goa International Airport, Panaji. Public bus transport is available from Ponda Bus Stand on weekdays at an interval of 1 hour from 8.00 am in the morning till 7.00 p.m. in the evening. One must board a bus going to Savoi-Verem or Volvoi from Ponda Bus Stand and get down at Keri Hanuman Temple Bus Stop. The temple is at about 500 metres from this bus stop. Taxi and rickshaw services are also available from Ponda city.

Location