Ponda
Reflecting the extraordinary resilience of Sanatana Dharma through the preservation of ancient Hindu temple traditions upheld by the followers of Adi Shankaracharya.
Places Visited at This Stop
Swamiji visited the following locations during this stop.
Shantadurga Moolasthana
Shantadurga & Kalase
Mahalakshmi Temple
Mahalasa Narayani Temple
Kaivalyamath
This is a lateritic rock-cut cave with two cells of early medieval period, in Consua village of Mormugao taluka. This cave has a square Yoni-Pitha. The Linga from this cave was detached from the Yoni-Pitha and was lying in a pond in the vicinity of the cave. Subsequently the Linga from this cave was acquired by the State Museum of Goa in 1985. Many scholars are of the opinion that this is one of the earliest Linga from Goa.
Rudreshwar Temple
Arvalem Caves, Srividya Pathshala and Spiritual Circuit
Excavated into the laterite hill, the Arvalem Caves consist of two major caves and a residential chamber. The first phase of excavation includes triple shrines. The first cave of the triple shrine on the north-west side is a square chamber having pitha in the centre, enshrined by a linga like shaft of schist stone provided in its visible top form as a disc, perhaps standing for solar disc.
