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Mallikarjun Temple (mandir)
Positioned amidst an enchanting landscape teeming with lush
greenery, the Mallikarjun temple (mandir) is famend for its colorful
festivals noticed with pomp and pageantry. Constructed by the
ancestors of the Kshatriya Samaj in 16th century, the Mallikarjun
temple (mandir) was subsequently refurbished in 1778. The temple is
devoted to Lord Mallikarjun, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Legend
has it that the location of the temple was the place where Lord
Shiva united along with his consort Parvati after an extended period
of separation.
The unique characteristic of the temple (mandir) structure is as
meeting of exquisitely engraved wood pillars inside the temple
building. The six pillars in the mandap are adorned with scenes from
the Puranas and epic of Mahabharata. Stylishly engraved silhouettes
of dwarpals (doorkeeper) stand guard on either side of the door
resulting in the inner chamber of the Mallikarjun temple.
The Mallikarjun temple (mandir) enjoys a unique niche among the many
Goan mandir for a bunch of ritualistic festivals. Through the
well-known annual pageant or Jatra, the idol of the deity is taken
out in a procession to the nearby Kindlebag seashore and the deity
is bathed accompanied by other rituals.
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