Former Indian star cricketer Sacun Tendulkar recently paid a visit to this temple to make an offering. And just like him, for thousands of devotees in south Goa, the Shri Damodar temple located on the picturesque banks of the Kushawati river, in Zambaulim, represents a fervent sense of hope and expectation. The gulal festival at the Shri Damodar temple is one of the most looked forward to events in the month of Phalgun, with devotees thronging the temple premises with gulal or pink coloured powder which is used in religious and social celebrations in Goa.
The temple itself is located in Zambaulim village which is located around 22 km from Margao city in the heart of the Quepem sub district.
The extremely popular temple is home to the deity which is a reincarnation of Lord Shiva. It was originally located in Margao, but was relocated during the Portuguese inquisition. The new temple was relocated sometime in the 1800s and also has an idol of Lakshmi Narayan and shrines of goddesses Chamundeshwari.
Interestingly, the Shri Damodar temple has both Hindus as well as Christians in its long list of devotees. Getting to the temple is not difficult at all, just follow the National Highway 66 to the destination. The closest railway station to Shri Damodar temple is at Balli.
Shri Damodar temple
Zambaulim village, in Quepem taluka
There are few things better, if you want to trigger a scientific curiosity in children in Goa, than a visit to the Goa Science Centre.
With a diversity of games and exciting things todo, all of them rooted to scientific principles, the Centre sees a beeline of school students every day. Located right next to the Miramar beach and with a five acre campus, the Centre is a great fun as well as an educative option for an outing, especially if there are children with you.
The best part about the Goa Science Centre is not that all the scientific, but fun-filled demonstrations are conducted indoors. There are a whole range of outdoor activities too, which explain basic physics and other scientific principles in an engaging manner. For example, which child would not like to learn how the scientific principle behind a pulley works, when he or she is being lifted up by the gravity-defying gadget?
The basic aim of the centre is to make science fun for children and that it does with aplomb. What’s more, there is also a digital Planetarium on the grounds of the Goa Science Centre, where you can be intimate with space and all the interstellar bodies.
Daily shows are organised at the Planetarium and it would be best if you could call and book yourselves on one. There are also daily 3-D film shows, science film shows and cyber lab shows at the Centre.
Goa Science Centre
Miramar, Goa
Contact: +918322463426
