Historic Mahalaxmi Temple in Panjim, the first temple allowed to be built by Portuguese in Goa, prepares to celebrate its 200th anniversary on July 10
Guruprasad R
India is often described as the land of Gods. This is the reason why we find one or the other famous temple in every nook and corner of the country. One such temple on the coastal Goa now celebrates its 200th foundation day. The Mahalaxmi Temple in Panjim will feature a year-long programme including medical camps, scholarships for students.
This Temple is located at the Altinho Foothill in Panjim. In fact, this was the first Hindu Temple which was allowed to be built by the Portuguese in Goa after 300 years of bitter opposition. The deity is Goddess Mahalakshmi, made of black stone, with four hands and is placed in a silver canopy. This is the peaceful or satvik form of the Devi. Historical records state that the deity of the temple originally came from the village of Taleigao and was moved to Bicholim in the 16th century to escape Portuguese destruction. The temple was approved by the Portuguese authorities in 1818 after a long delay. Following the approval from the occupational forces, the temple was built by the contributions made by the devotees. It was recently renovated in 1983.
In the 16th century, the Havig Brahmins from Karwar-Kumta areas who lived on alms and charity of others worshipped the Mahalaxmi deity and wherever they went in search of alms they carried this deity along. In the 16th century, they moved to Goa along with this Deity and reached Taleigo Village of which Panjim was then a mere ward, along the River Gomati (Mandovi). The Havig Brahmins whose whole day was spent begging for alms had sought shelter in the precincts of the Vetal Temple of Taleigao. But when they learnt of the conversion policy of the Portuguese, fearing desecration of their revered Mahalakshmi idol made of marble, they moved away from Taleigao and as they were moving on they found a horse stable which actually belonged to the Portuguese government.
A person called, Raghavendra Kamat Mhamai, who then worked for the Portuguese military found that this place selected by the Havig Brahmins to hide their deity, was unsafe and hence moved it to his palatial house opposite the Adil Shahi Palace (Old Secretariat) in the heart of Panjim City. Still fearing for the safety and security of the deity, he moved it to Mayem Village of the Bicholim Taluka where it remained till 1817.
Sometime later in 1817, Narayan Kamat Mhamai of Panaji dreamt of the deity and the next day itself he along with others went to Mayem and brought the deity to Panjim and kept it at the ancestral house of Raaya Kamat Ghanekar. There is also one more incident related to this, as it is said that the idol was brought to Panaji in a boat and taken to a place where the People’s High School is located today. That corner at the People’s High School is still venerated where the deity was kept hidden under a Chinch Tree.
The place where the present temple stands belongs to the late Purshottam Prabhu Sinari of Raibander. For constructing the temple donations were collected which amounted to 1006 asharfies. After building the temple the idol of Goddess along with her family deities were installed on Aashaad Shukla Saptami (July 10, 1818). It was the Saraswat Brahmins who consecrated the idol of Goddess, hence they are the Mahajans of this temple along with Sheth Community from Panaji and Taleigao, Bhandari Community, Nhavi Community, Tarukar Community, and Hindu Gaonkar Communities from Bardez taluka are also devotees of Goddess.
During this time monarchy was prevalent in the Portuguese regime hence the late Narayan Kamat Mhamai specially got an approval from the King of Portugal for the construction of the temple. The then Governor General of Goa Conde-de-Rio-Pardo approved the order. By 1819, the temple was completed. n
