PIN 403408 | Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) Vehicle registration GA | |
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Weather 32°C, Wind NW at 18 km/h, 43% Humidity | ||
Kavale or Kavalem (Devanagari:कवळे) is a village in Ponda, Goa, India. Kavle/Kawale/Kawle are other variations for the same name.
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Siricilla zilla kavale
Main Attraction
Situated at the foothill of Kavalem, the Shantadurga Temple boasts of a huge tank, a Dipa Stambha and Agrashalas. The temple was built in 1728 AD during the reign of Shahu Maharaj of Satara at the request of one of his minister, NaroRam Rege Mantri.
The temples of Shree Shantadurga and Shree Manguesh located at Mangeshi Village, two of the most revered patron deities of the GSB community in Goa are a must visit for any devotee/ tourist coming to Goa.
History
The original site of Shri Shantadurga temple is Kardelivana of Quelossim(Keloshi) in Salcette Taluka. To avoid the increasing Portuguese missionary activities in Goa, the GSB community was afraid for the safety of the temples and idols. Hence, the families worshipping Shree Shantadurga and Shree Manguesh, on a moonless night, leaving their homes and hearths crossed over the Zuari River to a safer region which was under the rule of the Muslim King Adilshah. They finally installed the deity at Kavale village known then as Kapilpura or Kaivalyapura in the Antruj Taluka(Present day Ponda).
The territory of Ponda was not under Portuguese rule in the 16th Century and hence was seen as a haven by the Hindus fleeing persecution by the Jesuits and Portuguese. The forests of Ponda were ideal places for Hindus to form makeshift temples with the Idols they had salvaged from the broken temples of Sashti (Salcete).