Vijayadurga
Encyclopedia
Shri Vijayadurga is located in kerim, Ponda Taluka - Goa. The Goddess is a family deity as well as mostly considered a Pallavi of many Gouda Saraswat Brahmins. According to some Puranas, it was once said that Shri Shantadurga of Keloshi who is now worshiped in Kavlem wanted to venture out in the sea. The Goddess seeked permission from her husband Shri Mangesh Maharudra, (which was then located in Kushasthali, now in Mardhol) and took her leave. In order to reach the sea, the Goddess had to cross Shankhavali (modern day Sancaole). On her way, the Goddess witnessed a very gruesome scene, a demon named Kalantak was harrasing the Saraswat Brahmins - impeding their rituals and causing great catastrophe to Shankhavali. The Saraswats of Shankhavali had their Kuldevi as Shri Shantadurga of Keloshi, one of the Brahmin who was troubled witnessed the Goddesss and knelt before her and prayed to save Sankhavali and its inhabitants. He promised to build a temple in her honour. Shantadurga with her divine powers transformed her self into a Mahishasurmardhini mounted on an elephant and commanded the demon to stop. A fierce war was fought between the demon and the Goddess. Shantadurga was victorious, the inhabitants of Sankhavali graced the Goddess and called her 'Vijaya' - Hence a temple in her honour was built which was called Vijay Shantadurga or Vijayadurga. The Goddess then commanded the Saraswats of Shankhavali to consider this victorious avatar into their Kuldaivat Panchayasthan. Therefore, the Saraswats of Shankhavali in any auspicious occasions invoked Shantadurga Shankhavali, Vijayadurga and Lakshmi Narasimha along with all the kulpurush to acquire their blessings.

Shantadurga of Sankhavali is never seated on a carnivore (tiger or lion), but instead an elephant is associated and assumed to be her mount.

The aggressive form of the Keloshi/Kavale Shantadurga is worshiped in present day Gothana- Velinga (Goa) and called Shri Shantadurga Sankhwaleshwari. The temples of these Deities are of not much prominence as that of Shri Shantadurga (Kavlem), Shri Mangesh Maharudra, or Shri Mahalasa Narayani, therefore these temples are never mentioned in the tourist lists of Goan Tourism.

Shri Shantadurga Shankhavaleshwari is located in present day Veling, Gothan (Goa) and Shri Vijayadurga is located in Curti, Kerim (Goa). These Deities were once located in mordern day Sancaole (Sankhwal), Salcette Taluka but due to the forceful Portuguese conversion and mass destruction of the Saraswat temples, the deities had to be shifted. Together with Shri Lakshmi Narasimha, they form the Sankhwal Panchayasthan. The mahajans or kulavis with surnames Nayak, Bhandary, Bhandarkar, Padiyar, Rao etc. have Shri Lakshmi Narasimha included with Shri Shantadurga and Shri Vijaydurga. Whereas the mahajans or kulavis with surnames Bhat, Kamat/h, Prabhu, Shenoy only have Shri Shantadurga and Shri Vijayadurga as their Kuladevta.

http://www.shrivijayadurga.org/

See also

http://www.shrivijayadurga.org/photos.htm

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