Indian Religious Temples

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

St. Francis of Assisi Church Goa, India

St. Francis of Assisi Church

St. Francis of Assisi Church Goa, India

To the west of the Se Cathedral is the former palace of the Archbishop that connects the Se Cathedral to the Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi. The structure is built of laterite blocks and is lime-plastered.

The church faces west and has a nave with three chapels on either side, a choir, two altars in the transept and a main altar. To the north of the main altar is a belfry and a sacristy. The convent, which forms an annexure to the church, now houses the Archaeological Museum.

The exterior of the Church is of the Tuscan Order while the main entrance is in Manuline style. The main altar is Baroque with Corinthian features. There are no aisles but only a nave, which is rib-vaulted.

The internal buttress walls, separating the chapels and supporting the gallery on top, have frescoes showing intricate floral designs.

St. Francis of Assisi Church

In a niche on the façade, stands a statue of our lady of miracles brought from Jaffna in Sri Lanka. A wooden statue of St. Francis of Assisi adorns a pedestal bearing the insignia of the Franciscans. A wooden pulpit, richly carved with floral designs is to the left as one enters.

Beneath a ribbed vault with frescoes showing floral decorations, is the main altar, which is gilded and has a richly carved niche with a tabernacle supported by the four evangelists.

The tabernacle was used for displaying the holy sacrament. Above the tabernacle, in the main altar, is a large statue of St. Francis of Assisi and an equally large statue of Jesus on the cross. Beneath the two figures are inscribed the three vows of the Saint - poverty, humility and obedience. On either side of the main altar, in the nave, are beautiful large paintings on wood, depicting scenes from the life of St. Francis of Assai.

St. Francis of Assisi Church

The origin of this church and the attached convent can be traced to the humble beginnings made by eight Franciscan friars, who, on their arrival in 1517, secured from the then Governor a few houses that belonged to a deceased Thanadar. By their persistent efforts they constructed a small chapel with three altars and a choir.

A church consecrated to the Holy Ghost was built in 1521 and was later pulled down and the present church was built on the same spot in 1661 retaining only the entrance of the earlier church.

Where to stay :

The Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa
Utorda , Salcete
08326698888
08322754183
kenilworthgoa@kenilworthhotels.com

Heritage Village Club
Arossim Beach, Arossim
Cansaulim , Goa
08326694444
08322754324
goa@sresorts.com

How to reach St. Francis of Assisi Church

AIR
Dabolim airport of Goa is well connected by flight with major cities in India.

RAIL
Madgaon, Vasco-da-Gama, Tivim and Karmali railway stations of Goa are well connected by trains with major cities and places in India.

ROAD
Panaji, Mapusa, Margao, and other main cities of Goa are well connected by motorable roads with different cities and places in India.

Tourism Office Details :

Department of Tourism
Government of Goa
Purshottam Bhagwan Building
Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Opp. Hotel Nova Goa,
Panaji, Goa- 403 001
Tel: 0832 - 2438750/51/52
Email: goatourism @ dataone.in

(a) Branch Office-North Tourist Shopping Complex, Mapusa. Tel: 2262390

(b) Branch Office - South, Margao Residency, Margao. Tel. 2715204

(c) Tourist Information Counter, Interstate Bus Terminus, Panaji.

(d) Tourist Information Counter, Vasco Residency, Vasco-da-Gama. Tel. 2512673

(e) Tourist Information Counter, Goa Airport, Dabolim Tel. 2541644/2542476

(f) Tourist Information Counter, Railway Station, Margao. Tel: 2702298.

Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.
Trionora Apartments,
Dr. Alvares Costa Road,
Panaji.

Tel. 2226515, 2224132, 2226728.
Fax: 091-832-2423926;

Central Reservation Office

Tel Nos. 091-832-2424001-3, 2436666,

E-mail: reservations@goa-tourism.com
Website : www.goa-tourism.com

Facilitation counter at Goa Airport, Dabolim, Tel: 091-832-2540829/2540031

The Reis Magos Church, Goa, India

The Reis Magos Church

Reis Magos Church, Goa, India

The small hamlet of Reis Magos lies on banks of the Mandovi river and is home to two famous landmarks of Goa - the Reis Magos fort and the Reis Magos Church. It is also one of only three places in Goa, where the unique Feast of the Three Wise Men is held.

Reis Magos lies off the main road, which passes through the fishing and boat-building villages of Betim and Verem on the way to the more famous tourist spots of Calangute and Candolim beaches. At the Verem Bazar, a turning past a Hindu tree shrine takes the traveller to Reis Magos.

The Church, whose whitewashed gabled facade is visible from across the river in Panaji, was built in 1555. Fransiscan friars, who were in charge of missionary work for the area, took over the church and founded a small seminary here.

The church, which was built shortly after the fort above it, was dedicated to St Jerome. Historians have found evidence to support the fact that the Church was built on the ruins of an old Hindu temple. Two typical symbols of the Hindu Vijayanagar temple architecture - bas-relief lion figures can be seen on the flanks, at the start of the steps going up to the Church.

Not long after its construction, the Church and the Seminary became a well established site for learning and its prominence can be gauged from the fact that the Portuguese royal coat of arms is imprinted below the crucifix at the top of the gable. Two of Goa´s former Viceroys are actually buried here, their tombstone inscriptions in Por4tuguese and Latin still clearly legible.

One of the tombs is that of Dom Luis de Ataide, who gained fame all over the Portuguese empire for his spirited defense of the colony of Goa, when just with a force of 700 men, he managed to keep at bay 10,000 Muslim attackers supported by 2000 elephants for a period of ten long months.

The Church interiors are quite colourful and impressive, with the highlight being the multi-coloured wood relief showing the Three Wise Men (Reis Magos) bearing gifts to the baby Jesus, which is the centerpiece of the elaborately carved and painted reredos behind the high altar.

Every year on the 6th of January, Reis Magos comes alive with the colourful Festa dos Reis Magos, when the story of the three Kings is re-enacted by local youth playing the parts of the Magi. The locals celebrate the journey of the three kings who went to worship the holy Infant Child with a procession which starts from the Church and goes around the village.

Where to stay :

Hotels

Nanutel Margao
Padre Miranda Road , Margao
08326722222
nanutelmrg@nanuindia.com

Marquis Beach Resort
Dando, Sinquerim Beach,
08322479120
08322479752
simon@marquishotels.in

How to reach Reis Magos Church :

Tourism Office Details :

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Church of St. Augustine Goa | St. Augustine's Tower Goa

Church of St. Augustine Goa

One of the most spectacular of all monuments in Goa, reproduced on innumerable travel brochures and advertisements is the St Augustine tower in Old Goa. This highly visible landmark, a 46m-high tower served as a belfry and formed part of the facade of a magnificent Church.

Out of the more than twenty fabulous churches which once existed in the old city of Velha Goa, only ten remain today. And of these four are actually chapels. The churches were located on and between seven hills around the Velha Goa region.

The Monte Santo (Holy Hill) at Velha Goa was the site for the the monastery of the Augustinian order, attached to which was the enormous church of Nossa Senhora da Graca (Our Lady of Grace). The Tower and Church were built in 1602 by the Augustinian friars who arrived in Goa in 1587.

The tower is one of the four towers of St. Augustine Church that once stood at the site. Initially built of laterite and colossal in size, almost forty-six metres high, it had four storeys. The Tower was meant to serve as a belfry and the Church had eight richly adorned chapels and four altars and a convent with numerous cells attached to it.

The construction of the building began more than 400 years ago and was finished between the years 1597 to 1602. The name of the designer of this magnificent piece of construction is not known, but he is thought to have been Italian.

Church of St. Augustin

Incidentally, the construction was begun in the same year as the arrival in Goa of Julio Simao (1565-1641) who was himself influenced by the great Spanish architect Juan de Herrera (1530-1597). Simao was the chief architect of the Indian colonies of Portugal having been appointed by Philip II, ruler of Spain and Portugal between 1580-1598.

When it was completed in the 16th century, the grand Nossa Senhora da Graca Church was recognised as one of the three great Augustinian churches in the Iberian world, the other two being the Basilica of the Escorial in Spain, St. Vincente de Fora in Lisbon.

On entering the church, the visitor would have a glimpse of the grand retable of the high altar, with its large gilt tabernacle sheltered within an arch, through a screen of arched piers. Vestiges of most of these piers were visible until recently; they supported a spacious choir which could have accommodated a large number of Augustinian monks.

The nave of the Church now lies open to the sky, under whose broken arches locals sometimes gather and talk. Covering the vast nave was a barrel vault, whose enormous weight unfortunately hastened its collapse.

St. Augustine Goa

The church was abandoned in 1835 due to the repressive policies of the Portuguese government, which resulted in the eviction of many religious orders from Goa.

The church fell into neglect and the vault collapsed in 1842. The church's demise began with the collapse of this vault. The body of the church was soon destroyed, but the facade remained intact.

The tower's huge bell was moved in 1871 to the Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Panjim, where it remains and can be seen and heard today. In 1931, the facade and half the tower fell down, followed by more sections in 1938 leaving only half the tower that is seen and visited by thousands of tourists today.
This remnant, the renowned St. Augustine's tower is all that remains of what was once one of the largest buildings in Goa -- The Augustinian Monastery.

How to reach :

Where to stay:

Hotels

Aaldeia Santa Rita
Dando-Condolim Sinquerim, Bardez.
08322479356
aaldeia@sify.com

Nanutel Margao
Padre Miranda Road , Margao
08326722222

Tourism Office Details:

Department of Tourism
Government of Goa
Purshottam Bhagwan Building
Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Opp. Hotel Nova Goa,
Panaji, Goa- 403 001
Tel: 0832 - 2438750/51/52
Email: goatourism @ dataone.in

(a) Branch Office-North Tourist Shopping Complex, Mapusa. Tel: 2262390

(b) Branch Office - South, Margao Residency, Margao. Tel. 2715204

(c) Tourist Information Counter, Interstate Bus Terminus, Panaji.

(d) Tourist Information Counter, Vasco Residency, Vasco-da-Gama. Tel. 2512673

(e) Tourist Information Counter, Goa Airport, Dabolim Tel. 2541644/2542476

(f) Tourist Information Counter, Railway Station, Margao. Tel: 2702298.

Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.

Trionora Apartments,
Dr. Alvares Costa Road,
Panaji.

Tel. 2226515, 2224132, 2226728.
Fax: 091-832-2423926;

Central Reservation Office

Tel Nos. 091-832-2424001-3, 2436666,

E-mail: reservations@goa-tourism.com
Website : www.goa-tourism.com

Facilitation counter at Goa Airport, Dabolim, Tel: 091-832-2540829/2540031

Saturday, 12 January 2013

St. Cajetan Church Goa | The Convent of St. Cajetan and Church of Divine Providence

St. Cajetan Church Goa

The large and beautiful Church of St. Cajetan, lies about half a kilometer away to the north east of the Se Cathedral, and quite near the ruins of the Viceregal Palace. This church, which is said to have been modeled on the original design of the Basilica of St.Peter in Rome, is architecturally Corinthian both externally and internally while the gilded altars with rich carvings are in rich Baroque style. The Church building itself is built of laterite blocks which are lime plastered.

The Church of St. Cajetan as it is popularly known, (originally called The Church of Our Lady of Divine Providence) and the Convent of St. Cajetan were built by Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, (known in Portuguese as Clérigos Regulares da Divina Providência). Although the church altar is dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Providence, the church is named after the founder of the Theatine order, St. Cajetan, a contemporary of St Francis Xavier.

In 1639, three Italians of the Order of Theatines were sent by Pope Urban VIII to the kingdom of Golconda (near Hyderbad) to preach Christianity. They were D. Pedro Avitabili, D. Francisco Marci and D. Antonio Maria Ardizone. The friars were not permitted to work in Golconda, so they came to Goa on 25th October 1640.

St. Cajetan Church Goa Interior

In their new abode, they began the construction of a hospital but the local Viceroy stopped their activities in 1643 and asked them to leave Goa in 1645. However, D. Pedro Avitabili, their courageous leader went all the way to Portugal to explain to the King, Dom João IV, that it would be in the interest of Christian religion if they were allowed to work in Goa together with the Portuguese priests.

Impressed by the determination of the Italian friar, the King gave permission to build the hospital in 1650. In 1655, the Theatines managed to obtain permission to build the Church and also a Convent. The construction of the Church was completed in 1661. Although built around the same time, the Convent was much smaller in size and was enlarged only later.

The grand façade of the Church, has two towers on either side to serve as belfry. There are Corinthian columns and pilasters supporting a pediment, and four niches in which are kept the statues of the apostles.

Inside a clever use of internal buttresses and four huge pillars has turned the interior into a cruciform. The main body of the church forms a Greek cross on plan internally and oblong externally, with a nave ending in an apse and aisles marked by four massive piers faced by Corinthian pilasters. These piers also form the base for supporting, at the crossing, a circular dome that rests on a drum and was crowned by a lantern. The inscription around the inside of the base of the dome is a verse from St Matthew's gospel.

The ribbed vaults of the nave and aisles are of varying height and are coffered with different floral designs. Two-ocatgonal rooms with domed roofs on either side of the main altar serve as the sacristy.

There are six altars besides the main one dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Providence. Profusely carved and gilded in Baroque style, these altars have twisted shafts dominated by figures of angels. The altars also have Italian school paintings on canvas, some depicting scenes from the life of St. Cajetan. The niches running along the sides of the vault have wooden statues of saints.

St. Cajetan Church Goa

The the composition of baroque reredos is different from those of the neighbouring churches since it tapers gracefully towards the ceiling, with large carvings of angelic figures near the base and the whole crowned with a symbolic sun.

As one enters the Church, there are three altars on the left side dedicated to the Holy family, Our Lady of Piety and St. Clare, while to the right are those of St. John, St. Cajetan and St. Agnes. The largest of the altars on the right hand side of the church is dedicated to St Cajetan himself.

There is a decorated wooden pulpit projecting from one of the piers. In the crossing is a square raised platform, which serves as a pulpit. Underneath the beautiful cupola, in the middle of the nave, there is a well which remains covered. The presence of the well has led to the conjecture that the site was once the setting of a Hindu temple.

The building which housed the Theatine Monastery near the Church, is currently the setting for Diocesan Pastoral Centre. In the grounds of the Church are the remains of the doorway that once was the entrance to an Islamic palace belonging to Adil Shah, the ruler of Goa before the Portuguese took control.

How to reach St. Cajetan Church Goa

Where to stay :

Hotels

Hoilday Inn Resort
Mobor Beach Cavelossim
Salcete,Goa , Goa
08322871303
08322871333
hirg@holidayinngoa.in

Hotel Neo Majestic
Plot No. 104/1A, Porvorim , North Goa
08322410378
08322415715
neomajestic@neomajestic.com

Tourism Office Details :

St. Paul Church Goa | The Church and College of St. Paul

St. Paul Church Goa

Unfortunately all that remains today of this once massive structure is the facade of the Church built in Doric style. By the year 1827 the College and the Church were already in a pretty devastated state. This was finally completely demolished in 1829 by the Goverment except for the facade and the material was taken to Panjim to be utilized for new constructions. The remaining arch of the façade of the Church lies on the road from Old Goa to Ponda just a short distance from the Gandhi Circle, on the left side of the road among a cluster of trees.

It was started as a seminary of the Holy Faith for training young converts by two priests Diogo de Borba and Miguel Vaz who had established the Santa Fé confraternity. The construction began in November 1541 and completed on January 25, 1543, the day of feast of Conversion of St. Paul to whom the church was dedicated.

The College of St Paul was among the largest in India. Beside elementary instruction, higher education in Music, Latin, Arts and sciences was also imparted, capped with lectures in Philosophy and theology. Even the degree of Master of Arts and the Doctorate were conferred here.

In 1548, when Fr Borba passed away, the seminary was handed over to St. Francis Xavier who had recently arrived in Goa and was residing at the Hospital Real (Royal Hospital). The College of St. Paul's was the first house of the Jesuit Order in Goa. After some years, the old college buidling was demolished and the two separate buildings were constructed, Both connected to each other by a passage. Seminário de Santa Fé was for the students and the other building called Colégio de São Paulo was for the residence of the Jesuits.

St. Paul Church

In 1556, King Dom João III issued an ordinance by which the College was opened for secular studies. By 1568 around three thousand students from India and other parts of Asia were enrolled at the college.

Besides the Seminary of Santa Fé, the following institutions were attached to the College: a novitiate, a professed house, a hospital and a house for the newly converts. The College had a large library and the first printing press in Asia was set up in this College, through which came the first printed publications.

In 1560 the Church was demolished on account of its weak condition and the foundation stone for a larger Church with three naves was laid on 25th January, 1560. It was twenty years later that one of the walls developed cracks and three arches of magnificent dimensions covering the existing road were built as support under the supervision of Jesuit João de Faria. As such it was popularly known as São Paulo dos Arcos (St. Paul of Arches).

It was for the first time that Santos Passos (dramatic representation of Passion of Christ) were introduced in Asia in this institution. The penitential procession was characterized by public self-flogging. There were booths erected in different places to provide first aid. The tradition of spreading or throwing flowers on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Mount originated here. Above all, the greatest honour that this institution received was the presence of Francis Xavier whenever he was in Goa and the first public exposition of his incorrupt body after his death. The martyrs of Cuncolim were also buried here.

In 1570 there was an epidemic and the Jesuits acquired some houses belonging to Pedro de Faria on the hill of Nossa Senhora do Rosário in 1578 for the residence of the Convalescents. The complex was named as Colégio de São Roque (1580). All the departments of studies from College of S. Paul were transferred to College of S. Roque which was also known as Colégio de São Paulo-o-Novo (St. Paul, the New).

The construction of a new building in this place met with a stiff opposition of Augustinians and nuns from Santa Mónica. The Jesuits had some other enemies too, who set fire to the building four times between 1591 and 1675. Once, the Rector of the Colégio de Dom Jerónimo Xavier, a relation of Francis Xavier was the victim of these flames. There was a surplice of Francis Xavier deposited in a silver box in this College which was later taken to Basilica of Bom Jesus.

The printing press from the old college was also transferred to College of St. Paul the New and the third edition of Purana of Fr. Thomas Stephen was printed here, in 1654. The Hospital Real functioned here from 1760 to 1764 after the closure of the college. Today there is nothing left for the visitor to admire, not even the stones.

How to reach St. Paul Church Goa :

Where to stay :

Hotels:

Colonia Santa Maria
Cobra Vaddo, Calangute ,
08322276107
08322415535
gillgoa@sancharnet.in

Santiago Resorts
Cobra Waddo, Calangute,
0832276564
0832276684
santiagoresorts@rediffmail.com

Tourism Office Details

Thursday, 10 January 2013

Banashankari Temple, Karnataka, India

Banashankari Temple, Karnataka

Banashankari Temple

The Banashankari Temple is located in Amargol town in Dharwad district, Karnataka. Banashankari is a form of the Goddess Parvati. This form of the Goddess is very popular in Karnataka. There are many famous temples dedicated to Devi Banashankari in Karnataka. The most famous one is probably the Banashankari Amma Temple in Cholachagudd. There is also a temple to this Goddess in the city of Bangalore. This temple is so popular that the area itself is called Banashankari.

The reason why Parvati took up this form is explained In the Skanda Purana. When people on earth were being tormented by an Asura named Durgamasura, the Devas prayed to Goddess Parvati to relieve them of this menace. So, the Goddess came down to earth and killed the Asura. She was known as Vana Shankari, the Goddess of the forest. This later became Banashankari.
The Banashankari Temple in Amargol is a fine architectural marvel and is located near the Unkal Lake and the Chandramouleshwara Temple. The temples built in this area in the 13th century exhibit northern influence. They have the Nagara style incorporated into them. This temple is no exception.

Architecture - Banashankari Temple

Banashankari Temple

The Banashankari temple in Amargol is a Dvikuta -a two shrine/two tower temple. Like most temples in this region of this period, this temple also exhibits Nagara influence. This temple has two shrines topped with Vimanas, one in the stepped-diamond shaped Nagara style and the other in the Dravida style.
One shrine houses the main deity, Devi Banashankari, and the other houses a Shiva Linga. The main Banashankari shrine is built in the Nagara Style. This shrine has been fully renovated. The restoration work on the other shrine is ongoing.
The Navaranga Mandapa in this temple has beautiful pillars decorated with figures of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Narasimha, Ganapathi, Brahma and other Gods.
The Banashankari Temple, Amargol, Dharwad is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Location

Hubli - 110
Hospet - 126
Bangalore - 436

Nearby Places:

Badami
Pattadakal
Aihole
Hampi

How to reach to Banashankari Temple

Road :
Gadag is well connected by road from all District headquarters of Karnataka. Upon reaching Gadag, one can take local transport or KSRTC Rural service to reach Lakkundi

Rail :
Badami is the nearest railway station

Airport :
The nearest Airport is at Hubli. International Airport is at Bangalore

Where to stay:

Vijayshree Heritage Village
VR Bhurat Nagari, Hospet-Hampi Road, Malpangudi, Hospet 583 239
Tel: : 08394-225 890-93
Fax: 08394-225 894
Email: md@vijayshreeresort.com
Website: www.vijayshreeheritagevillage.com

Krishna Palace
Railway Station Road, Near Bus Stand, Hospet, Bellary 583 201
Fax: 08394-294 231
Email: contact@krishnapalacehospet.com
Website: www.krishnapalacehospet.com

Royal Orchid Central, Kireeti
Railway Station Road, Hospet 583 201
Email: rooms@royalorchidhotels.com
Website: www.royalorchidhotels.com

Pages

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

St. Francis of Assisi Church Goa, India

St. Francis of Assisi Church

Where to stay :

How to reach St. Francis of Assisi Church

Tourism Office Details :

The Reis Magos Church, Goa, India

The Reis Magos Church

Where to stay :

How to reach Reis Magos Church :

Tourism Office Details :

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Church of St. Augustine Goa | St. Augustine's Tower Goa

Church of St. Augustine Goa | St. Augustine's Tower Goa

How to reach :

Where to stay:

Tourism Office Details:

Saturday, 12 January 2013

St. Cajetan Church Goa | The Convent of St. Cajetan and Church of Divine Providence

St. Cajetan Church Goa | The Convent of St. Cajetan and Church of Divine Providence

How to reach St. Cajetan Church Goa

Where to stay :

Tourism Office Details :

St. Paul Church Goa | The Church and College of St. Paul

St. Paul Church Goa | The Church and College of St. Paul

How to reach St. Paul Church Goa :

Where to stay :

Tourism Office Details

Thursday, 10 January 2013

Banashankari Temple, Karnataka, India

Banashankari Temple, Karnataka

Architecture - Banashankari Temple

How to reach to Banashankari Temple

Where to stay: