Saptakoteshwar Temple,
Narve, Goa
Saptakoteshwar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to
Lord Shiva, located in the Narve Village in Bicholim
Taluk in the North Goa district of Goa, India. The temple
is considered to be one of the six great sites of temples of Lord
Shiva in the Konkan area. Narve is located on the
easternmost tip of picturesque island of Divar.
Legends
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History
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The Temple
The temple is built based on the typical contemporary
Goan architecture, having a dome affixed on an octagonal shaped Sanctum
Sanctorum with only the Deepa Stambha (Lamp Tower) design being of a distinct
variety. It has a small entrance hall with bells. The main five pillared hall
is decorated with arches and is intricately painted with chandeliers glorifying
the beauty of the ceiling while the sanctorum wall is made of plain wood. Presiding
Deity is called as Saptakoteshwar. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of
Lingam.
The Linga itself is distinctive of a Dharalinga or
Mukhalinga type and made of polished stone. There is a shrine for Kalabhairava in
front of the temple towards the right side of the Deepa Sthamba and the padukas of
Dattatreya carved on the stone can be seen outside of it. Two huge laterite
pillar-like structures (similar to Stonehenge) buried deep can be seen a little
ahead of Deepa Sthamba. There are ruins of an arched crumbling structure resembling
an ancient agrashalas can be found behind the main temple.
There is a man-made tunnel like structure close to the
temple. The tunnel is presently silted. There is a sacred tank known as
Panchaganga Tirtha can be found near the temple. There are several caves found
in the surroundings. Also, ruins of a Jain math and temple can be found near
the Temple. It was probably an important Jain temple patronized by the Kadamba
rulers before they accepted Saptakoteshwar as their chief deity.
Festivals
Krishna Janma Ashtami is celebrated on a grand scale in
this temple. As per records, even in the 16th century, large crowd
of devotees estimated to be over thirty thousand would assemble and bathe in
the sacred waters.
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about 1.5 Kms from Saptakoteshwar
Bus Stop, 7 Kms from Bicholim Bus Stand, 16 Kms from Thivim Railway Station, 20
Kms from Karmali Railway Station, 20 Kms from Panjim and 41 Kms from Goa
Airport. Narve can be reached from Panjim by a ferryboat from the island
of Divar.
Location
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