Temples in Goa
Though we largely know Goa as a Portugese settlement, Goa has a different past. In ancient times, Goa was known as Gomantakesha and the name 'Goa' is formed from the first and the last syllables. According to another theory Goa's name concerns Lord Krishna, who came to this place and met the gopikas or cowherd girls and, fascinated, by them, named it after them and their cows as 'Govapuri'. This name can also be shortened as Goa. Endlessly romantic myths, whose origins are lost in the mists of time, remind us of this golden land's undeniable associations with our ancient past.
Shri Mangueshi Temple- dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the holy trinity in Hindu mythology, the Mangueshi Temple has a beautiful myth about it. It is believed that Goddess Parvati, Shiva's consort, came to this place in search of her divine spouse, who had left her alone in their mountainous home over a disagreement. Seeing her wandering in the woods, Shiva took the form of a tiger, whereupon Parvati cried out: thrahi mam girisha! Meaning, O save me, Lord of the mountains. The words mam girisha later got transmuted to Mangesh and hence the name Mangueshi. Thousands of believers come here annually, to take refuge in the great Lord Shiva, as Parvati had done.
Shri Shantadurga- this temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga who is said to have mediated between Shree Vishnu and Shree Shiva to stop the fierce war going on between the two that threatened to bring creation to an end. The temple has an impressive idol of Goddess Shree Durga in which she is flanked by Vishnu and Shiva on both the sides. This temple is situated 33 kms from Panajim.
