Goa Chapter - Affiliates
3 - 7 Oct 2025
CompletedOverview
Bṛhat Anveṣī Affiliates Goa takes us to a place where mountains and the ocean meet. Goa offers a lot in both nature and culture. Full of rivers, forests, mountains, and great temples!
Almost every single temple on the coast was destroyed. But the Goans shifted entire kṣetras inside, in safer parts of Goa like Ponda, recreating the sacred temple ecosystems. Goa is the story of the reclamation and rebuilding of our great heritage.
Bṛhat Anveṣī Affiliates - Goa chapter will lead you through the charm of small Goan towns, lush green countryside, fast flowing rivers, jungle trails, mist-covered mountains, quiet highways, and coconut-lined bylanes to some of the most unique temples in Bhāratavarṣa, and it will make you travel through the history and culture of Bhāratavarṣa in what is perhaps one of the greatest stories of cultural reclamation.
Highlights
14 significant temples and sites of Goa and authentic local cuisine
Story of Hindu courage, revival and assimilation
A visit to a Saraswat Brahmin traditional house
Local expert of Goan heritage and culture, the renowned historian and archaeologist - Sawani Shetye
Interested in this chapter?
We do not plan to repeat previously completed chapters in the near future. However, if you have a group of 15–20 interested individuals who'd love to explore this chapter, do write to us. We'd be happy to create a special on-demand Anveṣī experience just for your group.
Temples Covered
Haravale Caves, Rudreshwar Temple and Haravalem waterfalls
Carved from an enormous laterite wedge of the 6th century, this is quite an architectural marvel. Alternatively, the Caves, having a resplendent waterfall and a temple of Lord Rudreśvara close by, are also popular as “Harvale”, a name derived from 'Harahalli' - meaning, the village of Śiva. The liṅga inside the caves suggests its maintenance by Śaivites at some point in history. Śrī Rudreśvar Mandir is located just beside the famous Arvalem Waterfalls. Although the temple is newly built, this is an ancient kṣetra facing the pristine Arvalem waterfalls. This temple is an important site for pitṛ karma.
Shri Saptakoteshwar Temple, Narve
Saptakoṭeśvar is one of the major Śiva temples in Konkan. This ancient temple was renovated by Shiva Ji Maharaja in 1668 AD after falling under the Portuguese demolition in 1560 AD. This temple also houses a Kālabhairava shrine and pādukās of Guru Dattātreya carved on the stone.
Shri Nagueshi Maharudra Temple, Ponda
The Lord Nāgueśi Shrine of Bandode gloriously remains standing in its original spot, unlike other Hindu temples of Goa that came under the "Velha Conquistas" or "new conquests" areas of the Portuguese. The ancient tāli/Kalyaṇi (temple tank) of this temple is highly sophisticated, effectively channeling water continuously from a natural stream passing from west to east through valves under the temple grounds. This temple houses the deity in his 'Svayambhu' form.
Shri Shanta Durga Temple, Kavale
Accompanied by Viṣṇu and Śiva, Devī Durgā resides in this temple in her calm, meditative form. For successfully meditating in a fierce war that broke out between the two, the goddess here is worshipped as "śāntādurgā" - bringer of peace. The original site of the worship of the Devī was in Keloshi, from where she was migrated to Kavalem, Ponda, which is her present abode. Here, the temple has been erected somewhere between 1713 AD to 1738 AD.
Shri Ramnathi Sansthan, Ponda
This temple, a vibrant institution that is 435 years old and located at the centre of Ponda, houses Lord Śiva, worshipped as Śrī Rāmanātha. The deity had to be smuggled away to his present abode to escape violation by the Portuguese. Besides Lord Rāmanātha, the temple also houses Śrī Laxmi-Nārāyaṇa, Śrī Kāmākśi, Śrī Sidhanātha.
Shri Mahalasa Narayani Temple, Mardol
Mahālasā Nārāyaṇī Temple, dedicated to the Mohinī avatār of Śrī Viṣṇu. Here, the god has manifested in his 'ugra' or fiery avatar. In the garbhagṛha, Mohinī holds the severed head of Rāhu, with a tiger feasting on the dripping blood. She also holds Triśūla and Khaḍga, and a bowl to reserve the blood. Visitors find it immensely curious how this form of Mohinī has an uncanny resemblance to Devī Durgā.
Tambdi Surla Temple
The only ancient temple left in Goa that was not destroyed by the invaders, the Śiva temple of Tambdi Surla, lies at the foot of the Western Ghat mountains near the source of the Mandovi river. An excellent example of Kadamba-Yādava architectural style, this temple carved from grey-black soapstone not only miraculously remained immune from attacks of the iconoclastic Portuguese reign, but also remained immune to harsh weathering through the ages.