Morjim: Nature's gift to Goa Rohit R Phalgaonkar
The taluka of Pernem in Goa has many virgin beaches and large number of heritage sites to explore. The Korgao copperplates of King Bhimbhupal mention the ancient name of this taluka as 'Pendin'. The village Morjim in this taluka is nature's gift to humankind. The swaying coconut palms and white sands along the beach have the beauty to captivate the onlooker and the Arabian Sea and the beautiful Chapora River has made Morjim a paradise on earth.
A magnificent temple of Shri Morjai in Morjim commands attention of heritage lovers. Shri Morjai is the presiding deity of Morjim. The Goddess is believed to be one of the seven sisters who came and resided in different parts of Goa along with their brother Shri Khetoba. The temple has immense archaeological value because of its rare and well-preserved Kaavi art murals. The temple majestically stands amidst a coconut grove today.
The temple walls are adorned with the rare and extinct Kaavi art friezes. Excellent attempts have been made by the temple committee to conserve these murals in situ. The round masonry pillars in the Mukhmandap support huge arches, which in turn hold the roof. The pillars have unique Kaavi art murals running along the periphery and through the window grills of the Mukhmandap, various geometric and floral patterns are depicted in Kaavi art.
The exterior Sabhaamandap dating to 1936 AD has rectangular columns supporting a balcony above. Although the exterior Sabhaamandap was a later addition to the original temple, it gels well with the ancient structure.
The accompanying picture is the picture of the ceiling of the interior Sabhaamandap; it is a vaulted roof that possesses very exquisite Kaavi art murals.
These floral and geometric patterns etched in Kaavi, on the roof are worth seeing and has the ability to get you wondering about how these murals were etched in the interior of the vault. One cannot miss the unique well, surrounded by a series of semicircular arcs nearby.
The Agr-shaallaa and the temple of Shri Ravalnath nearby give the precincts a traditional look. This is one of the very few temples existing in Goa, which is conserved in situ with least modification. The originality and the historicity of such buildings should not be destroyed as culture and heritage need to be passed from one generation to the other.
Goa Plus - January 18, 2008
