Shri Damodar Temple Zambaulim or Shri Damodara Sansthaan is a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

on the bank of the Kushawati RiverHindus believe that the Kushawati River is sacred and that its healing powers help to get rid of various body ailments. near the village of

Zambaulim Zambaulim is a village in South Goa, Goa. In the 1800s, it was the regional capital for the colonial Provincias de Zamboulim (also called Panchemal), which was formed by merger of 5 surrounding districts of: *Embarbacem, *Chandrovadi, *Balli, * ...

22 km from the city of

Margao Margao or Madgaon is the commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It stands on banks of the Sal river and is the administrative headquarters of Salcete sub-district and South Goa district. It is Goa's second largest city by population aft ...

on the border of

Quepem Quepem is a town with a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. The town is the administrative headquarters of the Quepem taluka (sub-district). History The town was established by a Portuguese noble man Deão Jose ...

region (

Quepem taluk Quepem is a sub-division of South Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It is an administrative region of Goa, India. Settlements Cities Quepem has 2 cities: Curchorem-Cacora, Quepem Towns Quepem has 1 town: Xeldem Villages Quepem has 35 vi ...

) in the south of

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

. The temple houses a celebrated murti, or image, of Lord Shiva incarnated as Lord Damodar.

History

The deity was originally based in a temple in Mathagam, now Madgaon or Margao, where the Holy Spirit Church now stands. Due to the temple destruction campaign started by the Portuguese rulers in Sasashti Taluka in the year 1567, the Mahajans from Madgaon shifted the local deities (Shree Ramnath, Damodar, Laxmi-Narayan, Chamundeshwari, Mahakali, Mahesh, etc.) to Zambaulim. The Desais of Rivona helped the Mahajans and gave them land for the construction of temples as well as Vatan which is being paid even today.

Description

Besides the murti of Lord Damodar, revered by Hindus and Catholics alike,

Chamundeshwari Chamunda (Sanskrit: चामुण्डा, ISO-15919: Cāmuṇḍā), also known as Chamundeshwari, Chamundi or Charchika, is a fearsome form of Chandi, the Hindu Divine Mother Shakti and is one of the seven Matrikas (mother goddesses).W ...

(the fierce form of Shakti, a tutelary deity),

Mahakali Mahakali () is the Hindu goddess of time and death in the goddess-centric tradition of Shaktism. Similar to Kali, Mahakali is a fierce goddess associated with universal power, time, life, death, and both rebirth and liberation. She is the cons ...

(the Hindu goddess of time and death, considered to be the consort of

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 ...

the god of consciousness, and as the basis of reality and existence) and Mahesha (another incarnation of Lord Shiva) are also honoured at this place. The Shree Damodar temple belongs to the GSB community (

Gowda Saraswath Brahmin Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) (also Goud or Gawd) are a Hindu Brahmin community of the north. The Konkani speaking Gaud Saraswat of Goa and southern India claim to be descendents of these Gaud Saraswat Brahmins of the north that migrated to K ...

s). Accommodation facilities are available in the temple complex for the community members.

Observances

The main festival celebrated in Shri Damodar Temple is

Shigmo Shimga, or Shishirotsava is a spring festival celebrated in the Indian state of Goa, where it is one of the major festivals of the Hindu community. It is also celebrated by Konkani diaspora and Indian festival of Holi is part of it. Etymology Th ...

, the Goan Hindu spring festival of colours, which lasts for one week only. During the festival the Panair takes place and the folkloric show within which all participants exchange s (powders of different colours) with each other and organise various feasts and tablefuls. The temple also celebrates

Kartik Poornima Kartika Purnima is a Hindu, Sikh and Jain cultural festival that is celebrated on Purnima (full moon day), the 15th (or 30th) lunar day of the month of Kartika. It falls in November or December of the Gregorian calendar The Gregorian ...

Ashwin Ashvin or Ashwin or Ashwan (; bn, আশ্বিন; hi, आश्विन; or, ଆଶ୍ୱିନ; Malay/Indonesian: ''Aswin''; Thai: ''Asawin''), also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the solar Tam ...

Poornima, and

Mahashivratri Maha Shivaratri ( IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ...

Notes and references

{{Hindu temples in Goa Hindu temples in South Goa district