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| Mangeshi temple, Goa commons.wikimedia.org |
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| Mangueshi temple , priol, Goa adotrip.com |
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| Mangeshi Temple, Priol, Goa. usefultravelarticles.com/ |
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| Mangeshi Temple, Goa usefultravelarticles.com/ |
The Hindu temple dedicated to God Mangeshi - a form of God Shiva, one of the trinity gods, is in a non-descript village Priol, Ponda not far from the capital of Goa's an important tourist place in India. Here. God Shiva is in the form of linga - an abstract or aniconic representation, a formless reality - a symbol of creative and destructive forces. Beloved to have been consecrated by God Brahma himself, yet another trinity god, the this deity is the Kula Devta of Goud Saraswat Brahmin families.
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| Mangeshi Temple, Goa, India |
This 450 - year old temple is a popular place of pilgrimage, here the traditional puja protocol includes seven times a day, including Abhishek, Laghurudra and Maharudra, and evening. Maha Aarti, as in other Hindu temples, is done at night. An unusual feature here, as part of worship, the moorthi is taken out in a religious procession around the village once a week. I have never head of such a weekly tradition in all south Indian temples. In states like Kerala, it has been a deity ritual to take the processional deity around the prakara inside the temple, often on the elephant with the priest accompanied by music.
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| Mangeshi Shiva temple, Goa. goanarchitecture.blogspot.com |
Above image: A fine impressive feature with twenty two levels of oil lamps lit on certain auspicious days.
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| Mangeshi temple, Goa:goanarchitecture.blogspot.com |
Above image: Mangeshi temple, Goa: brass lamp pillar
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| Mangeshi Temple Goa, India |
The complex has several domed buildings and the main temple has a big hall that can accommodate 400 to 500 devotees adorned with 19th century chandeliers and sanctum. Visitors to this place can not miss the seven-story tower, tall metal lamp stand - Deepa Stampha, a common feature in Kerala temples.
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| Goa Inquisition twitter.com |
How did this Hindu temple survive the atrocities of Portuguese Jesuits in the 16th centuries is a million dollar question. That time Goa Inquisition (introduced in 1561 and disbanded in 1812) was on in the Portuguese settlements in India, initiated by Fr. Francis Xavier. Jesuit missionaries felt a threat to the purity of Catholic Christian belief and pressed for Inquisition with a view to punishing Crypto-Hindus, Crypto-Muslims and Crypto-Jews. King John III of Portugal issued an order, on 8 March 1546, to forbid other religions facilitating - pagans converted to orthodox Catholicism. and follow strict religious code of conduct. Very much affected were Hindus, Jews, Muslims and those Christians who never stuck to Portuguese way of life and strict adherence to Christian worship.
Originally located in Kushasthali or Cortalim in Salcette Taluka, under the repressive Portuguese rule centuries ago (16th century)misguided by Jesuits as they were bent on destroying Hindu temples and venerated idols, the Hindu families there decided to avoid any confrontation with Jesuits. The followers of Shree Shantadurga and Shree Mangueshi, on an Ammavasia night (New Moon day), in the shadow of darkness, left their homes and hearths and moved over to the present site in Ponda much safer place which was under the rule of the Muslim King Adilshah.
In this temple many Hindu festival are observed annually. Particulary, fmous is Shivratri festival.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangueshi_Temple
