Shanta Durga Temple, Kavalem – History

Shanta Durga Temple, Kavalem – History

The Shanta Durga deity was brought to Goa by the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins who are supposed to have migrated to Goa from Gaud region of Bengal, Trihut (Trihotrapur) in Bihar. Trihut, being the original place from where the deity was brought to Goa in the ancient times by the Saraswat community. They built a shrine dedicated to Goddess Shanta Durga at Keloshi a village in the present day Mormugoa taluka. The original temple at Quelossim (Keloshi) in Mormugoa was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1566.

The goddess was shifted to Kavalem and worship was continued there. The current temple was constructed during the reign of Maratha ruler Chatrapathi Shahu Maharaj of Satara in about 1738 A.D. Naroram Rege Mantri originally from Kochara village in the Vengurla Taluka, was a Minister in Chatrapathi Shahu's Court at Satara (Grandson of Shivaji Maharaj) around 1723. He obtained finances to construct the new temple for the goddess from Shahu Maharaj of Satara.

The temple construction started around 1730. The Temple was consecrated under the presence of Shrimant Bajirao-1 Peshwa in 1738. The site on which the original Temple of Shanta Durga stood at Quelossim (Keloshi) is known as Deoolbhata and it is in the possession of the Shri Shanta Durga Sansthan Committee, Kavale. The temple completed its 450th year of existence (Margashirsh Shuddh Panchami) on 4^th December 2016.