Goa CM Pramod Sawant inaugurates renovated 17th century temple constructed by Shivaji Maharaj

PANAJI, (PTI): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday inaugurated the refurbished Shree Saptakoteshwar temple which was constructed by warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj more than three centuries ago.

The temple, located at Narve village in North Goa district, dates back to the 1660s.

Shivendra Raje Bhosle, MLA from Satara in Maharashtra and a descendent of Shivaji Maharaj, was the special guest at the function which was also attended by Union minister Shripad Naik.

The Goa state Archives and Archaeology Department has refurbished the temple. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj have contributed immensely to the protection of Hindu gods and religion in Goa during the Portuguese rule,” Sawant said on this occasion.

Shivaji Maharaj had this temple built after the original temple at Diwar Island was destroyed by the Portuguese, he said.

Several temples were destroyed by the Portuguese, and the Goa government has decided to reconstruct these temples, the chief minister said.

The Archives and Archaeology department is preparing a list of such temples, Sawant added.

There could be thousands of such temples but the government cannot rebuild all of them, he said.

“In the memory of all the temples which were destroyed during the Portuguese rule, the state government will construct a huge temple at Diwar Island where the Saptakoteshwar temple originally existed before it was shifted to Narve,” he said.

The state government would also take up repairs and reconstruction of the forts in the state which were constructed by Shivaji Maharaj, including the one at Betul village in South Goa district, he said.

There is a need to present real history before the current generation, the CM said, adding that the state government has set up a research chair in the name of Shivaji Maharaj at Goa University. (PTI)