Navdurga Temple is an ancient holy shrine situated in the Indian state of Goa. It is among the famous places of worship in Goa. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, the holy consort of Lord Shiva and is known as Navadurga here. The temple is almost 500 years old and is situated at Borim which is about 34 kms from Panaji and 12 kms from Margao. The temple was renovated in 1603 AD.
Deities of Navdurga Temple
The temple of Navdurga has a stone idol of the Goddess Navdurga placed on a raised platform in the Garbhagriha of the temple. The idol is in standing position and is four feet tall. The goddess"s neck is slightly bent to the left and she is in the form of `Mahisasurmardini" (the killer of demon bullock). The deity in her form is highly venerated in Goa. According to a legend, a group of Brahmins had earlier brought the Goddess Navdurga deity from a place known as Karad in Maharashtra. It was placed in Benaulim in the South Goa district in the Salcete taluka. Later, it was moved to its present site at Borim.
There are other deities also who are worshipped in the temple like the Grampurush, Narayana, Betala, Ravalnatha and Ganapati.
Festivals of Navdurga Temple
The villagers of Borim celebrate a festival known as the Borim Zatra in the month of November which is dedicated to Goddess Navdurga. During the annual zatra, thousands of devotees from far-flung areas throng the temple. Apart from zatra, the festival of Navaratri is also celebrated with much grandeur. The Navdurga temple has a pilgrim rest room known as an Agrashala with limited accommodations.
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