Goa is known as the land of grand, white-washed churches to the average visitor. But that’s only until you get to know her better. The state is also home to beautiful temples which are as old and majestic as its churches, if not older.
One such temple is the Saptakoteshwar temple, whose deity was the chief deity of the rulers of the Kadamba dynasty which lorded over Goa around 2000 years back.
The interesting story of the temple is that the deity was shifted on several occasions within Goa, after the conquest by the Portuguese colonial forces in the 1500.
After dodging the Portuguese, the deity was finally installed at the present-day Saptakoteshwar temple in Narve, on the direction of Shivaji Maharaja, who was in Goa one of his numerous expeditions to the region, according to historians.
If you look closely or ask around you can still see a stone plaque, on which lies inscribed the order by Shivaji himself.
The temple is popular also because of the Gokulasthami celebrations held annually on its grounds, during which thousands of devotees throng to the venue. The Saptakoteshwar temple is located around 20 kms from Panaji.
Saptakoteshwar Temple
Narve, Bicholim
