Swiping through faded layers of history

It is not really anyone's fault that the idea of Goa is limited to images of  Beaches & Churches,  Villas & Vindaloo, Feni & Fado ...and little else beyond or before all that . 

Goa was the first Indian State to be Colonised by European Imperialists and the last to gain freedom . 450 years of foreign rule (1510 -1961) , more than the proverbial  "7 Generations" ; long enough to forget that there was actually a very different culture that enriched this region before the ships from the West, looking for "Spice and Souls",  started weighing anchor on its coast . 

A recent re-visit to South Goa , with a small group , proved to be an eye-opener jaunt into the "pagan" past , which has now been retrieved and re-established with renewed zeal . 

Cross-cultural influences cannot be wiped away easily , nor should such a misguided project be undertaken . Any society is a  product of all forces and influences that ever contributed , in any way , good or bad, towards shaping the Present . Owning that will do no harm . It is possible to learn about the different facets of one's Heritage without getting entangled in emotional responses to past events. 

Sandwiched between Arabian Sea and Western Ghats , abutting Karnataka on the East and the South , Goa has had a lot of connections with Karnataka's history . Though it passed into possession of  Mauryas , Konkan Bhojas , Silaharas etc , it was under the Karnataka Empires of Chalukyas , Rashtrakutas, Kadambas , Vijayanagara and Bahamani-Bijapuri Sultanates that most of its cultural heritage  evolved. 

The fame of Govapuri  spread wide during the reign of  Kadambas  ( 10th to 14th Century) who patronised both Jaina and the Vedic religions , carried on maritime trade from Port Gopakapatna and used Kannada and Sanskrit for administration.

Needless to say , many temples were built . Of which , only one survives intact to this day .  

Temple Architecture of Goa is quite unique. A hybrid style of  Hindu , Islamic and European features that is beautiful , colourful and bright with Mantapas , Domes, Colonnades, arches , Bell-Fry like  Deepasthambhas, stained glass windows and chandeliers , Kaavi designs on walls, painted  wood icons , lovely tanks ......but why ? What of Kadamba and Chalukyan influences ?  The forces of History were such that  a majority of the presiding deities had to be relocated from the original holy sites sacked by the Portuguese and housed in shrines built anew. 

A Dug Up Past  

In Chandor , visited an excavation that has uncovered remnants of an ancient Shivite shrine ( Isvarochem )showing  four distinct phases of construction - 

Phase1. 4th or 5th Century , Konkana Bhoja period , the brick plinth of a cruciform shrine , with an enclosure wall ( sandhara).

Phase 2 : 6th -7th Century , Chalukyan construction above the foregoing, with a rectangular mantapa and moulded adhishtana .

Phase 3 : 8th -9th Century , Silahara , change of material and additional shrine ,     

Phase 4 : 10th -13th : Kadamba , use of Laterite stone , a plinth  for a Nandi mantapa , stone pathways and miniature shrines . A damaged Nandi is the only sculpture in situ , rest of the salvaged ones sent to Museums. 

Chandor in South Goa , was the ancient Port City of Chandrapura on the bank of River Kushavathi , a Capital City under Bhojas and Kadambas. Whoever took possession of the land , took care of the Cultural needs of the populace too- that is , till the clash of cultures resulted in domination by the more powerful. 

Stories in Stone 

During the  zealous purge of heathen beliefs, both by Islamic invaders and European colonisers,  temples were flattened , their wealth appropriated and  native infidels /pagans  "co-erced" to convert. Stories of people risking their lives to smuggle out their own deities to safer grounds have now become Folk Legends , woven into the Sthala Puranas of present day temples . 

The grandeur of  the vanished Kadamba era temples  can only be guessed now from a relic safeguarded in the The Nageshwara Temple , Ponda. A beautiful chandrasila , ( the base slab of a stairway to a temple's entrance) its size , an indication of the over all size of the lost temple . And its workmanship , a tantalizing hint of the wonders lost forever . Though Nageshwara too was razed down , it was re-built in its original site , which yielded the relic. In the evening light , the Blue and White schemed building seemed like a Fairy Tale Castle.

The popular Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Veling is an 18th century construction for the presiding icon that was brought from Salcete in 1567. Administered by a wealthy Trust , this spectacular temple with a magnificent Tank , resembles a Kerala Palace . It can be admired from the gateway by anyone , but entry for Darshan is restricted to believers only . 

The  immensely popular Shantha Durga Temple ,built in the 18th Century , is another instance of a migrated deity ; in this  case , the Devi came from Keloshi . The red and white scheme here gives a real regal look . Heartening to see the premises kept spotlessly clean , a far cry from so many  temples of  the South. Here too, the octogonal tower  with domed top gives a markedly different look that is not usually associated with  Devi temples .....

The One and Only ...

The one ancient Temple to an ancient Deity that remains in its original shape is the Mahadeva temple of Tambdi Surla . It has survived intact from Kadamba times  thanks to the thick jungle which protected it from the carpet destruction inflicted by the iconoclasts. Situated within the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary in Molem , very close to the Karnataka border , the modest sized shrine is built of a dark schist stone , not found locally . With a Kadamba Nagara Vimana and a Mahamantapa with sloping roof , the temple blends into the dark background of Anmod Ghat . The squat pillars of the mantapa are lathe turned like Hoysala coloumns , but there are no sculptures on the outer walls . Only the shikara has small sized icons inside the nasi-kudus.  Dated 12 CE and attributed to  Kadamba Queen Kamaladevi . There is a view that it was meant for Tantrik worship and , somehow , its sombre and mysterious look does give it plausibility . It can be approached only by crossing  a gurgling stream ( a bridge now), which might flood during rains . The premises , in typical ASI fashion, is maintained well with manicured lawns and fences. 

Close to the temple  are a few erect stones , obelisks for prehistoric ancestors . 

Goa's Prehistory also includes petroglyphs on laterite beds in  Usgalimal - of deer , oxen and an intriguing labyrinth , all conserved by ASI - very much on the wish list and reserved for a future trip.

An engaging presentation 

 Had some satisfaction , attending an AV presentation by a heritage enthusiast , whose lively talk covered everything from these petroglyphs to the Myristica Swamps to native tribal religions to  the cult of Sateri to the Legend of Seven Sisters and One Brother to the art of Kaavi painting to endangered butterflies and a species of tree frog that builds a hanging nest of foam just above water for its spawn. So much to discover , so much to learn at each place you step in . 

Aboriginal Deities 

After visting Mahadeva , was presented with a choice : A 5km jungle trek to a waterfall or look up a curious village shrine within the same Wildlife Reserve.  Naturally, chose the tribal shrine , guided by a local Researcher . 

The structure is a humble  room with tiled roof ,  built in modern times over an ancient stone platform , standing in a clearing  in the woods , with no signs of habitation around . A "devrai" ( Sacred Grove), surely.  

The room had stone icons  of Mahishamardini , a couple of standing male figures and centrally , a seated goddess ,"Brahmani", but no, not the Matrika Brahmani , but a folk diety . We waded through the bushes behind the shrine to locate some moss covered sculptures strewn about in the woods . The researcher pointed out a Betal , a Paik , a Kshetrapala , a Naga, a Durga ...and a couple of  Kelbai - intriguingly similar to Gajalakshmi , but with many small differences in iconography . Back to the platform , to walk around it , looking at the frieze in bas relief . Such strange creatures populating it ! Creatures that look like grinning monkeys , crowned lions , grotesque "somethings" , all of them with long tails that ended in a spear head , pointing to the fore ! What were they ? The Researcher shrugged : yet to be identified. The local tribes had no names for them other than 'spirits' . Nothing is known of who built that platform. Some rounded stones , carved Serpents on the crumbling steps,  a few erotic panels on the frieze  and the remoteness of the shrine suggested tantrik worship. "Tribal worship of Nature Spirits" corrected the Researcher . 

Mother Goddess worship is particularly strong in any ancient community ; so too here. The termite hill ,"arising by itself out of the earth" is symbolically revered as The Earth Mother , Sateri . Reportedly, many marginalised communities today feel that their Sateri has been appropriated down the ages by  bigger faith systems, first as parivara devi , then as mainstream Parvathi - even the mighty Shantha Durga ......Debates for another day .

A steady drizzle on the leaves of the tall trees and the crunch of gravel underfoot were all the sound heard in that eerily silent and still devrai , till we boarded  the vehicle . Conversation with the Researcher till we rejoined the trekkers was most stimulating, opening whole new vistas of knowledge about the native heritage of the Konkan coast, which shared roots with indigenous cultures right down to Tulunad and Malabar .

Can one visit Goa without visiting a Church ? 

1. The Church of St Cajetan , built in 17th Century by Italian Friars is the sole extant specimen of Italian architecture in Goa , a very handsome structure indeed . A part of the World Heritage Site tag "Churches and Convents of Goa" . But point of present interest was The Gate Of  Yusuf Adil Shah's Palace , on the left side of the walkway leading to the church . This  Sultan of Bijapur had lost to the Colonial forces and his grand palace was then used by Portuguese Governors  (who called it the Idalcaon) . It was also used as Inquisition House for sometime . Abandoned after an epidemic in the 17th century, it was fully demolished by the Colonial Govt. in 1830. Only this gateway , made of basalt, remains to tell a tale  .....A fine piece with pretty scroll work etc . But some niggling questions :  Would the Adil Shah have allowed human figures to be carved on a portal ? The Palace apparently was vast, why such a small "Gateway" ? Could it have been a doorway to some particular wing only ? Or, perhaps not of that Palace at all ? .....cannot question ASI's signboard . 

2. The Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol : Sprawling . Here too , point of present interest was only the Altar . All glimmer and glow .   Real Gold, sir ! No kidding !  When the Adil Shah was defeated and his wealth annexed , all the gold was consolidated, but couriering the loot to Lisbon was a logistical nightmare. What if pirates got to it mid sea , what if the ships sank under the weight , what if the crew mutinied and looted the loot ? Best solution : Liquify all gold and have a ball  painting this entire Altar with it !...well, at least the precious metal  remained here.

Another portal to the Adil Shah Palace was near the river Mandovi (old name: Mahadayi) . This was replaced by an Iberian style Arch , called Viceroy's Arch ,  in 1599 , by Fransisco da Gama , Viceroy of Portuguese India, to commemorate his great-grand-dad , Vasco . This Arch served a ceremonial purpose too , when every new Viceroy  entering India was expected to walk into the town through this Arch. The original Arch  collapsed and was fully rebuilt in 1954. 

( Aside : The local contact who helped the Portuguese  conquer Goa was Timmayya aka "Timoji", a privateer  who originally served Vijayanagara, but aided the Portuguese to take down  the common enemy , the Adil Shah Dynasty , by divulging intel about Goa's defenses to Albuquerque . He was made a Magistrate for his help, but  refusing to be subservient , soon lost his clout . He took up piracy and was  finally poisoned to death .  His story would make a fine historical movie ! )

3.Basilica of Bom Jesus , the most famous landmark in Goa , consecrated in 1605, is a fine Baroque structure with richly embellished altars including one for St Ignatius of Loyola , founder of the Jesuit Order . The other venerated niche here is the mausoleum designed by Florentine sculptor Giovanni Batista Foggini and gifted by the Grand Duke of Tuscany . On this rests a silver casket containing the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier , a committed evangelist primarily responsible for bringing the dreaded Inquisition to Goa, under which people of other Faiths ( Jews, Hindus, Moslems and Protestants) were subjected to unimaginably brutal torture for non-conversion , secretly following old customs after forced conversion, rebelling , tax default , sodomy and anything else that irked the Church in anyway. ( Aside : there was a Tax called Xendii levied on those who kept their Hindu hair-tufts ! ).

Inquisition , Acquistion , Imposition and all that.

 People who fled to escape the horrors of Inquisition, settled themselves and their Gods in Ponda that was not part of Colonised territory . Ponda is now the cultural capital of Goa with a high concentration of historically significant temples . 

 Landed gentry who did not flee , quietly converted so that no essential  services would be withheld from them , by the Govt. They adopted the Portuguese way of life totally  (language, attire, habits, et al), receiving titled positions for such enforced loyalty . Some luxurious mansions they lived in are now Private museums and Homestays run by their decedents . After the rest of India became Independent , some of these titled families gave up their privileges to support their own Freedom movement. 

While looking around one such private museum ( a part of which is still a residence) , spotted among the exhibits, some icons of Hindu deities - apparently , a branch of that family did not convert and continued to be Crypto-Heathens ! A punishable offence during The Inquisition. 

(Aside : Talking of conversions, a tidbit : In the popular legend of Seven Sisters and One Brother, the seven Devis ( Kelbai, Lairai, Mahamaya, Mirabai, Sheetalai, Adadipa ) are enshrined separately in seven different towns , but during a certain Jatra, they  visit and send each other some specified gifts . It so happened that  Goddess Mirabai's shrine was repurposed into St Jerome's Church and she herself got christened Mirabilis Saibinn, Our Lady of Miracles! But old traditions die hard . She continued /-es her  habit of sending and receiving the stipulated gifts during the Jatra .) 

A Fort from the Past-Past 

No dearth of Forts in Goa . But not all were built by The Portuguese. The Maratthas and rulers of Karnataka  also raised a few. 

Cabo de Rama , in Canacona,  is among the oldest forts here and served the Kingdom of Sonda . Located in a place where Rama and Sita  are said to have rested, it has retained the name as a reminder . The Fort was seized by Portuguese in 1763 and used as a garrison and a Jail till 1955. The cute white chapel of St Anthony contrasts starkly with the black , hollowed brick shell of a gutted magazine behind it . Climbing to the high point is rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the sea spread at the base of the cliff . 

Roots are never forgotten 

The inexplicable tug of  ancestral bonds play out in many ways , not entirely logical to critical thinkers. 

On the last day of the tour ,on a morning walk from the Colonial Mansion Homestay , spotted a modest, modern day temple by the road , painted yellow and orange. The sign board had a story to tell . It was the Ramanatha Temple in the Original Site , meaning , the place where , according to Puranas , Sri Rama installed a lingam to expiate the sin of killing Ravana , where a temple had been  built by an unnamed medieval Hindu King .  That  temple  in Loutolim locality , Salcete ( old name : Shashti ) was razed down by the Colonisers during 1560s , but not before the Lingam was smuggled away to Ponda , along with those of  Shantha Durga and Kamakshi from two nearby temples. We will never know what the original structure looked like, but in safe Ponda across River Zuari ( original name : Aghanashini) ,  the three icons were enshrined in a grand new panchayatana temple which continues to be a major pilgrimage center ,called Ramanathi ,to this day . Back in Loutolim, the site of the demolished temple was preserved as Sacred Land by a handful of unconverted Hindus who continued practicing  their Faith unobtrusively , without the Murti , without the Alaya . Only in 2011 , did this building come up and a new Lingam consecrated. Now there are two sacred places with the same holiness attached to both .

 Decedents of unconverted clans have spread all over the coastline , South and North, but make it a point to visit the Kula Deva periodically, either here or there , wherever they hear the call of ancestors. 

Attachment to Kula is strong . Not just among the Brahmins and Vaisyas , but among tribal natives too . Goa's Cosmology of tribal deities is crowded and complicated and rituals are not uniform across the State . Most deities are Spirits of Nature, who do not function like the Puranic deities . They have compartmentalised powers and jurisdiction and cannot be bought over with offerings and bribes . Only supplication works.  Many were aniconic, represented by anthill , waterpot , umbrella or  conch , but gained an iconography only on contact with the broader religious traditions of Bhakthi and Puranas . 

Many indigenous deities were assimilated fully into the major tradition , so in all temples , deities like Paik , Betal, Kulpurush-Kulmai  etc are also enshrined. While Tribal festivals and feasts include the major deities in rituals . 

It was too short a trip to understand or see everything related to the old heritage of Goa . 

The more one digs , the deeper goes the history of everything , a kaleidoscope . 

Perhaps, another day , another trip .

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NOTES : 

Sateri : Mother Goddess , originally visualised as the Anthill ( Sat= Earth , Eri =Rising). Later iconography : a four armed Devi holding 4 snakes , with a cow beside her . She has innumerable shrines and has also morphed into Parvathi or Lakshmi in many others.

Kelbai( or Kelmai), Brahmani and Kulachi Maya ( 5 types) are feminine powers represented as Kalash ( water pots).

Betal : not the vampire , but a fearsome  looking Ancestral or Nature spirit who guards the village . He has been co-opted as a Bhairava or a Shivagana in many temples.

Paik Dev : A sword wielding Guardian , who patrols the Village at night on horseback . Clay horses are left as presents for him . 

Ravalnath , Kshetrapala are also horse riding Guardians who give security to different zones. 

Purush : seen in all temples either as regular portrait sculptures or as lingams in the outer precinct are founders of the temple who have passed away . 

Kulpurush : Clan Ancestor , worshipped. 

Mulveer : a dead Hero , immortalised in  a Herostone  

Devchars aka Rakhandars : malevolent spirits . 

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Myristica Swamps are very unique freshwater swamp ecosystems dominated by a primaeval group of evergreen trees of the Myristica genus. The systems can be termed "older than Dinosaurs" . Found primarily in pockets of  the Western Ghats ( across Goa, Karnataka , Kerala , with one in Maharashtra) .

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