Panaji TEMPLE

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Mahalsa Temple

The temple about 22 kms from Panaji,  The temple is dedicated to Goddess Mahalsa, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Hence the temple is also as the Mahalsa Narayani temple, Narayan being another name for Vishnu. The temple has huge wooden pillars and a silver framed doorway.

In the courtyard, there is a magnificent brass samai ornamental lamp pillar which is 40 feet in height and has 21 rings of a hundred fifty small lamps. There are a number of legends associated with the deity and how she came into being. Made entirely from brass, this tower stands 12.5 metres high. It is indeed a sight to see the tower aglow with oil lamps during festivals.

The inner hall of the temple has carvings of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu that have been resplendently painted. It is also known as the Shri Mahalasa Narayani Temple and is dedicated to the Goddess Mahalasa. She was first seen by a shepherd named Sahastrapal, who was taking his master's cattle for grazing to a nearby spring.

The goddess asked the shepherd to bring his master to the location. The opulent Mahalsa temple is one of the most famous temples in Goa. Once, Lord Vishnu took the form of Mohini, an extremely beautiful woman and lured the demons away from their evil intentions of destroying the world.