The Prime Minister has expressed happiness over renovation of Shree Saptakoteshwar Devasthan, Narve, Bicholim in Goa.
About Saptakoteshwar Temple
- Saptakoteshwar having been the deity of the Kings of the Kadamba dynasty around the 12th century. Coins found from this era mention the name of the deity along with that of the King Jayakeshi.
- It was desecrated by Bahamani rulers and rebuilt during the Vijayanagar rule.
- After the Portuguese conquest, in the year 1540 during the years of the Inquisition, once again the linga at the temple was removed.
- Soon afterwards, it was smuggled away by one of the locals named Narayan Shenvi Suryarao and taken to a place called Latambarsem where it remained for 3 years. In 1543, it was installed in a temple near the island of Divar.
- The Maratha King Shivaji conquered the area in 1664. On one of his many expeditions to Goa against the Portuguese in 1668, he gave the order for the Saptakoteshwar temple at Narve to be rebuilt and the linga installed in its proper place. The stone plaque mentioning this order can still be seen near the temple entrance today.
- This temple is an important historical landmark which was undertaken for restoration in the year 2018 which marks the completion of 350 years of the Temple Jeernodhar by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
