Mahadeva Temple, Tambdi Surla is a 12th-century

Shaivite Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

temple in the Kadamba style dedicated to Lord

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

and an active place of

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

worship. It is an ASI protected Monument of National Importance in Goa.

History

The temple was built in the Kadamba style from

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90 ...

, carried across the mountains from the

Deccan plateau The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by th ...

and carved by craftsmen. It is considered to be the only specimen of Kadamba architecture in basalt stone preserved and available in Goa. The temple survived untouched due to its remote location in a clearing deep in the forest at the foot of the Western Ghats which surround the site. Tambdi Surla Mahadev temple

Religious significance and decoration

The temple is dedicated to Lord

and is reminiscent of the temples at

Aihole Aihole (pronounced "Eye-hoḷé"), also referred to as Aivalli, Ahivolal or Aryapura, is a historic site of ancient and medieval era Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments in Karnataka, India that dates from the sixth century through the twelfth ...

in neighbouring Karnataka. There is a

linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional ...

(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 temple consists of

garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the '' murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ' ...

antarala Antarala (Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the ...

and a pillared Nandi mandapa built of

. The four pillars, embellished with intricate carvings of elephants and chains support a stone ceiling decorated with finely carved Ashtoken lotus flowers.Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
The intricate carvings created by skilled craftsmen adorn the interior and the sides of the building. Bas-relief figures of Lord Shiva, Lord

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

and Lord

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

, with their respective

consorts __NOTOC__ Consort may refer to: Music * "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses'' * Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles * Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...

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-tired 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 river Ragado, (via village Keri, Sattari) flows nearby and is reachable for ritual bathing by a flight of stone steps. The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated with pomp and gaiety at the temple by local people residing in surrounding villages. 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.

Location

The temple is at near a small village called Tambdi Surla located east of Bolcornem village, in the north east region of the

Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park is a protected area located in the Western Ghats of West India, in Dharbandora taluk, Goa State, along the eastern border with Karnataka. The area is situated near the town of Molem, east of ...

. Nearby village is Molem. Mahadev Temple is approximately from the capital city of

Panaji Panaji (; also known as Panjim) is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. Previously, it was the territorial capital of the former Portuguese India. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi river estuary ...

. It is accessible from the north via minor roads south from the main town of Valpoi in

Sattari Sattari (''Sot'tori'', pronounced ; ) is a sub-district of North Goa district in the state of Goa, India. The headquarters of Sattari taluka is Valpoi (वाळपई) municipal council. It lies in the north-eastern region of Goa where it is ...

Taluka. The temple is at the foot of the

Anmod Anmod is a village in Karnataka state of India at the Goa-Karnataka border. Anmod village lies on Belgaum- Goa road route. The Goa state can be reached by descending Anmod Ghat from Karnataka. The NH 748 or 4B highway from Goa up to Goa Karna ...

Ghat, which connects Goa to the state of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

Gallery

File:Mahadev Temple in Tambdi Surla .jpg, View from Outside File:The Lingam.jpg, The Lingam File:Celings inside a Tambdi Surla temple.jpg, HDR image of carvings on the ceiling of Mahadev Temple. File:Intricate King Cobra Rock Carvings .jpg, Intricate King Cobra Rock Carvings File:Carvings Inside Mahadev Temple .jpg, Carvings Inside Mahadev Temple File:Visitors Enjoying The View at Mahadev Temple.jpg, Visitors Relaxing File:Mollem National Park, Tambdi Surla Temple.jpg, Rear of the temple File:Mukhamantapa.jpg, Carved stone pillars forming Mukhamantapa Bharabhumi Temple, Tambdi Surla, Goa" widths="800px" heights="320px" perrow="1"> File:Bharabhumi Tambdi Surla.jpg, Bharabhumi Temple, Tambdi Surla, Goa

References

{{Hindu temples in Goa Shiva temples in Goa 13th-century Hindu temples Hindu temples in South Goa district