A Goan temple is known as a ''dēvūḷ'' (देवूळ) or ''sansthān'' (संस्थान) in the

Konkani language Konkani () is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Konkani people, primarily in the Konkan region, along the western coast of India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution, and the official language of ...

. These temples were once the centres of villages, cities, and all the other social, cultural and economic gatherings in

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 ...

. These were known as ''grāmasansthā''s (ग्रामसंस्था) in Konkani.

History

A temple in Goa was once always the centre of a village (and in cases still is), and the lives of people were related to these temples and their festivals. The village property was divided amongst the villagers according to certain rules. The patrons of the temples are known as ''Mahajana'' and for the most part hail from

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...

communities with a few from

Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...

communities. This ''Mahajani'' system was once responsible for temple upkeep.

Deities

Goan temples are strictly devoted to the worship of Panchyatan devised by

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

. The following sholka says : आदित्यं गणनाथंच देविम् रुद्रं च केशवं , पंच देवताम् इत्युक्तं सर्ववर्मसु पुजयेत् , , The following deities constitute a ''Panchayatana'': *

Devi Devī (; Sanskrit: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism. The conce ...

( e.g.

Shantadurga Shantadurga (Devanagari:शांतादुर्गा, ) is the most popular form of the Hindu goddess Durga revered in Goa, India, as well some parts of Karnataka. She is a form of the ancient Mother goddess known as Santeri. She is wors ...

, Bhagavati, Navadurga, Mahalakshmi, etc. ) *

Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rud ...

or Ishwara ( e.g.Manguesh, Nagesh, Shivnath, Damodar, Gananatha ) *

Ganesh Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

( e.g. Mahaganapati ) *

Keshava Keshava (Sanskrit: ') is an epithet of Vishnu in Hindu tradition. Keshava means Parabrahman, according to Hindu scriptures. The name appears as the 23rd and 648th names in the Vishnu Sahasranama of the Mahabharata. Keshava is also venerated ...

( e.g. Lakshmi Narayana ) * Aaditya ( e.g. Surya Narayana ) In addition to these deities following deities are also worshipped. * Kulpurush - Family Ancestor *

Ravalnath Ravalnath ( knn, रवळनाथ, ), also widely known as Roulu, (रवळू, ) is a popular Hindu deity in Goa and the Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra, in western India. Shrines of Ravalnath are also found in border areas of Be ...

* Bhutnath * Gram Purush * Kshetrapal

Architecture

Most of the original temples in Goa were demolished by the Muslim and Portuguese rulers, and the artisan castes in the

Velhas Conquistas {{Unreferenced, date=November 2008 ''As Velhas Conquistas'' or "the Old Conquests" are a grouping of the areas in Goa which were incorporated into Portuguese India early in the sixteenth century AD; as these areas underwent urbanisation they were ...

responsible for temple construction converted to Christianity during Portuguese rule. The pre-Islamic ancient temples were made of sedimentary rocks, stones, wood and limestone. Black stone temples built in the Kadamba and Hemadpanti styles are very rare. Only one ancient temple of Goa exists today in its original style, namely the Mahadev Temple. The few unconverted Hindu Brahmin families in the Velhas Conquistas emigrated to other places with the deity idols, and new temples were built to house these idols. The present day Goan temples are of Nagara architecture with some alterations, this kind of architecture is unique in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. A water tank called as a ''Tali'' or a ''Tallay'' is usually seen at the main entrance of the temple. A large ''Praveshdwar'' or the main entrance, with a ''Nagar Khana'' is a very distinct feature of Goan temples. A ''Deepa stambha'' is an integral part of the temple. Other related buildings with the temple: * Agrashala * Bhojanshala * Yagnya-shala * Vahanshala * Related offices * Nagarkhana The temples are usually painted in white or other light colours, and usually are covered with clay tiles. A Golden

Kalasha A kalasha, also spelled kalash or kalasa, also called ghat or ghot ( sa, कलश , Telugu: కలశము Kannada: ಕಳಶ literally "pitcher, pot"), is a metal (brass, copper, silver or gold) pot with a large base and small mouth, large eno ...

is also seen. The parts of the temple: * Sabhamandapa * Antarala * Chowk * Garbhagruha ( ''Garbhakud'' in Konkani ) * Sarvalli ( Pradakshina marga ) The temples have wooden carvings depicting epics like

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

and

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

. The Garbhagruha is usually studded with silver and main idol is made of black stone and sometimes

Shaligrama A shaligrama shila ( deva, शालिग्राम शिला, Śāligrāma-śilā), also rendered as shaligram, is a particular variety of stone collected from riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in N ...

. A Goan Konkani temple contains two murtis, one is a ''Mula Murti'' to which the ''alankar'' (adornment) is usually done and which is of ancient origin and the ''Utsava Murti'' which is displayed in the temple premises. The ''Utsava murti''s are made of silver, gold or sometimes alloys. An alloy ''Prasad Murti'' is also seen. The Chowk pillars are usually wooden with explicit carvings. The roof is also studded with paintings and chandeliers. Huge bells are hung at the entrance of the Chowk. This place is considered very sacred.

Festivals

The following festivals are celebrated in all the Goan temples: * Jatra * Palakhi Utsav * Navratri * Tarangotsav, Dasarotsav * Samvatsar (Saunsar) Padvo * Gulalotsav *

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 T ...

Related people

*Mahajans *Kulavis *Pujari *Abhisheki (Purohits) *Puranik *Haridas *

Devdasi In India, a devadasi was a female artist who was dedicated to the worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. The dedication took place in a ceremony that was somewhat similar to a marriage ceremony. In addition to taki ...

(Bhavin, Kalavant)(see: Gomantak Maratha Samaj) *Vajantri *Mest *Karbhari *Bhajak *Mahale

References