Mallikarjuna Temple, Goa
Encyclopedia
The Shri Mallikarjuna temple dedicated to Lord Mallikarjun, an incarnation of Lord Shiva is situated in the Sristhal village which is 7 km northeast of Chaudi in Canacona taluk in the South Goa district of Goa
, India
. The shrine is known to be one of the oldest in Goa and is situated amidst beautiful natural surroundings in a valley completely surrounded by mountains. The temple is believed to be constructed during the middle of the 16th century, as per the writing on a plaque near the temple dome, by ancestors of the Kshatriya samaj. It was refurbished in the year 1778.
There are about 14 Mallikarjuna shrines spread over Goa.The striking similarity in these shrines is that all idols are in phallic shape and covered with metallic masks. The lingas are believed to be Swaymbhu lingas. According to the records two ancient shrines of Mallikarjun existed in Bardez
at Assgao and Pomburpa
which were demolished by the Portuguese.
The temple has around 60 Hindu deities and it celebrates a number of festivals with the annual jatra
being the most unique amongst most of the festivals in Goa. The temple also celebrates the festivals of Rathasaptami and Shigmotsav which attract a number of devotees.
The Linga is believed to be Swayambhu
lingam
, uncovered by a member of the Kunbi
community while clearing the forest and it is a phallic shaped uncut stone covered with a metallic mask.
pillar in the temple. These pillars have intricate carvings with scenes from the Puranas and Mahabharat. On either side of the doors leading to the inner sanctum one can see beautifully carved silhouettes of the doorkeepers or dwarpal.
priest only for a certain designated period and during the rest of the period, the Kunbi priests namely Velip and Zalmi perform the daily worship. The ritual of hunting is associated with some of the Mallikarjuna shrines.
festival. The word Shisharani is supposed to mean a cooking place on top of a human head. This ritual involves cooking rice in a earthenware kept on the head of three men who sleep on the ground with their heads touching each other and fire is lit between the heads to cook the rice. The heads are covered with wet cloth and layers of plantain trunk.
Jatra: The annual festival (Jatra) held at the temple is quite unique among the temple festivals of Goa. Early morning on the day of the festival, the idol of the deity is taken out in a procession which travels for almost 2–3 hours to reach the nearby Kindlebag beach. A number of rituals including a special bath for the deity are held at the beach, after which the deity is taken back to the temple. Hundreds of devotees have a holy bath at the same time on the seashore.
Veeramel: This celebration is held once every two years at the time of the traditional Shigmo festival. During this celebration which occurs close to midnight, selected local youth who are called Gade, rush from house to house with swords in their hands followed by people with drums and other musical instruments.
Avatar Purush: These are actually smaller deities called Avatar Purush located at three nearby places: Asali, Khalvade and Bhatpal where they are worshipped. But once a year, they are taken in a magnificent procession at night to the main temple at Sristhal.
Besides these, the temple celebrates a number of common Goan festivals like the Rathasaptami and Shigmo.
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The shrine is known to be one of the oldest in Goa and is situated amidst beautiful natural surroundings in a valley completely surrounded by mountains. The temple is believed to be constructed during the middle of the 16th century, as per the writing on a plaque near the temple dome, by ancestors of the Kshatriya samaj. It was refurbished in the year 1778.
There are about 14 Mallikarjuna shrines spread over Goa.The striking similarity in these shrines is that all idols are in phallic shape and covered with metallic masks. The lingas are believed to be Swaymbhu lingas. According to the records two ancient shrines of Mallikarjun existed in Bardez
Bardez
Bardez is the name of a region and taluka in North Goa. The name is credited to the Brahmin immigrants who migrated to the Konkan via Magadha in Gangetic India from Aryavarta, in the north-western part of the Indian sub-continent. Bardez or more properly Bara desh means "twelve countries"...
at Assgao and Pomburpa
Pomburpa
-Places of interest:* Corjuem Fort* Our Lady of Socorro Church* Church of Our Lady of Miracles* Pomburpa Spring...
which were demolished by the Portuguese.
The temple has around 60 Hindu deities and it celebrates a number of festivals with the annual jatra
Jatra
Jatra can mean:* Jatra street festival* Jatra street festival or Carnival* Jatra form of entertainment* Jatra...
being the most unique amongst most of the festivals in Goa. The temple also celebrates the festivals of Rathasaptami and Shigmotsav which attract a number of devotees.
Legend
Legend has it that the location of the temple was the place where Lord Shiva united with his consort Parvati after a long period of separation. Another source mentions that the demon Malla was fighting with one of the Pandava brothers, Arjuna. Shiva assumed the form of a hunter and killed Malla and saved Arjuna and hence the name ‘Mallikarjun'. The temple is also known as Adavat Sinhasanadhishwar Mahapati Canacona among the locals.The Linga is believed to be Swayambhu
Swayambhu
Swayambhu means Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.-Vaishnavism:Based on details in Bhagavata Purana and Matsya Purana, Narayana or Krishna is said to be the Self-manifested Swayambhu form of Brahman as the first cause of creation...
lingam
Lingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
, uncovered by a member of the Kunbi
Kunbi
Kunbi is a generic term applied to castes of traditionally non-elite tillers in Western India. These include the Dhonoje, Ghatole, Hindre, Jadav, Jhare, Khaire, Lewa , Lonari and Tirole communities of Vidharbha. The communities are largely found in the state of Maharashtra but also exist in the...
community while clearing the forest and it is a phallic shaped uncut stone covered with a metallic mask.
Temple architecture
The temple with its beautiful wood and silver carvings is reputed to have been erected by Habu Brahmins of the Dravidian dynasty. One can see some of the finest surviving art on the six pillars in the mantapa or the assembly hall. One of the wooden pillars in the mandapa is used as the oracleOracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
pillar in the temple. These pillars have intricate carvings with scenes from the Puranas and Mahabharat. On either side of the doors leading to the inner sanctum one can see beautifully carved silhouettes of the doorkeepers or dwarpal.
Daily rituals
The daily worship is performed by BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
priest only for a certain designated period and during the rest of the period, the Kunbi priests namely Velip and Zalmi perform the daily worship. The ritual of hunting is associated with some of the Mallikarjuna shrines.
Festivals
Shisharani: This typical ritual alternates every year with the Veeramel celebration held at the time of the traditional ShigmoShigmo
Shigmo , 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...
festival. The word Shisharani is supposed to mean a cooking place on top of a human head. This ritual involves cooking rice in a earthenware kept on the head of three men who sleep on the ground with their heads touching each other and fire is lit between the heads to cook the rice. The heads are covered with wet cloth and layers of plantain trunk.
Jatra: The annual festival (Jatra) held at the temple is quite unique among the temple festivals of Goa. Early morning on the day of the festival, the idol of the deity is taken out in a procession which travels for almost 2–3 hours to reach the nearby Kindlebag beach. A number of rituals including a special bath for the deity are held at the beach, after which the deity is taken back to the temple. Hundreds of devotees have a holy bath at the same time on the seashore.
Veeramel: This celebration is held once every two years at the time of the traditional Shigmo festival. During this celebration which occurs close to midnight, selected local youth who are called Gade, rush from house to house with swords in their hands followed by people with drums and other musical instruments.
Avatar Purush: These are actually smaller deities called Avatar Purush located at three nearby places: Asali, Khalvade and Bhatpal where they are worshipped. But once a year, they are taken in a magnificent procession at night to the main temple at Sristhal.
Besides these, the temple celebrates a number of common Goan festivals like the Rathasaptami and Shigmo.