The Saptakoteshwar temple situated amidst the lush green
horticultural fields of Narve in Bicholim has the tradition of Mahashivratri of
more than thousands of years as the deity is in worship since the Kadamba
period.
Narve in Bicholim was earlier known as Hindole, however when the
temple was rebuilt with the consecration of the historic Shivlinga of
Saptakoteshwar the name of Narve from Divar island got permanently associated
with it.
The Mahashivratri celebrated on the thirteen day of the eleventh
month of the lunar calendar the Magh has the cultural as well as religious
significance throughout Indian Sub-continent. In Goa, this auspicious night
marks the onset of the rehearsal of various folkdances to be performed on the
occasion of the shigmo festival. Among the most of all temples and shrines of
Lord Shiva, the Saptakoteshwar has the rich historical as well as cultural
significance.
As per the prevailing tradition in Goa, sages performed penance
for the period of seven crores of years and when shiva appeared before them for
the blessings, the sages requested him to stay permanently on the island of
Dipavati today known as Divar.
On the Kadamba ruler’s coins of Goa from Jayakeshi-I to
Jayakeshi-II the legend of Saptakoteshwar and the sikhara of the temple are
found. Their inscription too refers Saptakoteshwar as the family deity. The
Kadambas of Goa built the temple of Saptakoteshwar in Narve on the island of
Divar. When the temple was damaged during the Bahamani rule, it was
reconstructed by Madhavmantri, the administrator of Vijayanagara kingdom of the
region. During the Portuguese regime, when the temple faced wrath of the ruler,
the devotees brought Shivlinga to Latambarce of Bicholim and then it was
brought and the linga was reconsecrated in Narve on the right side of the river
Mandovi in Bicholim.
The Sanskrit Nagari inscription fixed at the top of the main
entrance of the temple indicates, its reconstruction was initiated by Shivaji,
the great Maratha ruler on November 13, 1668.
Gopal Morajkar from Bicholim says, “The historic temple of
Saptakoteshwar of Narve attracts a large number of devotees since the time
immemorial and even today they throng here to get blessings of Shiva especially
during Mahashivratri.”
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