Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
Shiva (Mahadev) temple · Tambdi Surla, Kushavati (formerly part of South Goa), Goa, India
Photo: AshLin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
The Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla is a Shiva temple of carved black basalt in the forested hinterland of Goa (Gomantak Times; Outlook Traveller). It stands in a forest clearing at the foot of the Western Ghats, within the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary (Outlook Traveller). The Government of Goa dates it to the twelfth century and credits the Kadamba dynasty with building it (Government of Goa).
Far from being a minor village shrine, it is described by the state government as the most ancient temple in Goa, and Outlook Traveller calls it the oldest surviving temple in the state (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller). It is still a place of worship, with a linga in the inner sanctum (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller).
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
The temple is valued as a rare survivor: the Government of Goa says it came through the Muslim invasions and the Portuguese persecution, mainly because of its remote forest location (Government of Goa). Outlook Traveller likewise attributes its largely untouched state to its isolation (Outlook Traveller).
The state government describes it as the only specimen of Kadamba-Yadava architecture in basalt stone preserved in Goa, a point Outlook Traveller repeats (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller). Many Goans visit the temple on the Mondays of Shravan, and devotees customarily seek the blessing of Nandi before entering the sanctum (Gomantak Times).
Heritage
History of Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
The temple is dated to the twelfth century by the Government of Goa, Outlook Traveller, The Goan and Gomantak Times (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller; The Goan; Gomantak Times). The Goan attributes it to the reign of the Kadamba-Yadava kings, and the state government notes that the Kadambas ruled Goa between the tenth and fourteenth centuries (The Goan; Government of Goa).
Outlook Traveller notes that firm records of its origins are scarce (Outlook Traveller). The Government of Goa and The Goan both describe the construction as being in a Jain style, and the state government says the temple's top was never completed (Government of Goa; The Goan). Accounts naming a particular royal patron or minister as builder appear in some sources but are not confirmed by two reliable publishers, so they are not repeated here.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple faces east, so that the first light of sunrise falls on the deity (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller). It is built of black basalt that, according to the state government and The Goan, was probably brought across the mountains from the Deccan plateau (Government of Goa; The Goan). The inner sanctum carries a three-tiered tower that is incomplete or was dismantled long ago, and the state government compares the temple with those at Aihole in neighbouring Karnataka (Government of Goa).
The pillared hall (mandapa) is roofed with plain grey sloping stone slabs and has four matching columns around a headless Nandi (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller). The base of one column bears the Kadamba emblem of an elephant trampling a horse, and bas-relief panels on the sides show Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma with their consorts (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller).
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple lies inside a wildlife sanctuary, and Outlook Traveller suggests combining a visit with a tour of the sanctuary (Outlook Traveller). A stream runs behind the temple and turns into a strong torrent in the monsoon (The Goan). Confirm current access and arrangements with the Government of Goa tourism department before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with the temple administration before travelling. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri is celebrated at the temple by people of the surrounding villages with large gatherings (Government of Goa). Outlook Traveller notes that the festival draws devotees from Goa and neighbouring regions (Outlook Traveller).
Shravan Mondays (Shravan Somvar)
Many Goans visit the temple on the Mondays of Shravan, and devotees may have to wait to enter the sanctum (Gomantak Times).
Location
How to Reach Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
The Government of Goa places the temple about 65 km from Panaji and about 12 km from the Mollem border check post, at the foot of the Anmod Ghat that links Goa with Karnataka (Government of Goa). It also lists a 22 km forest road from Valpoi (Government of Goa). Outlook Traveller gives the distance from Ponda as about 27 km and notes that the site is reached only by road (Outlook Traveller).
The Goan recommends hiring a taxi as the most practical option (The Goan).
Location: Tambdi Surla, Kushavati (formerly part of South Goa), Goa, India
More in Hindu temples in Goa · Shiva (Mahadev) temples
Questions
Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla: Frequently Asked Questions
How old is the Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla?
The Government of Goa, Outlook Traveller, The Goan and Gomantak Times all date it to the twelfth century (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller; The Goan; Gomantak Times).
Who built the temple?
The Government of Goa credits the Kadamba dynasty, and The Goan places it in the reign of the Kadamba-Yadava kings (Government of Goa; The Goan). Outlook Traveller notes that records of its origins are scarce (Outlook Traveller).
Is it the oldest temple in Goa?
The Government of Goa calls it the most ancient temple in the whole of Goa, and Outlook Traveller describes it as the state's oldest surviving temple (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller).
Why did the temple survive when others were destroyed?
The state government attributes its survival through the Muslim invasions and Portuguese persecution mainly to its remote forest location (Government of Goa).
Which district is Tambdi Surla in?
Gomantak Times places Tambdi Surla in Dharbandora taluka, and The Goan describes it as a remote village in Sanguem (Gomantak Times; The Goan). Both talukas were placed in the new Kushavati district, carved out of the former South Goa district by a notification dated 31 December 2025 (Kushavati District Administration; The Goan).
What is unusual about its architecture?
It is built of black basalt, and the state government calls it the only preserved specimen of Kadamba-Yadava architecture in basalt in Goa (Government of Goa; Outlook Traveller). Its sanctum tower is incomplete, and its hall houses a headless Nandi (Government of Goa).
How far is Tambdi Surla from Panaji?
The Government of Goa puts it about 65 km from Panaji and about 12 km from Mollem (Government of Goa).
Sources and attribution
- © OpenStreetMap contributors — location data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Wikidata Q6732753 — structured data (CC0)
- Wikipedia — Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla — text facts from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government of Goa — Tambdi Surla Temple
- Outlook Traveller — Do You Know About This 12th-Century Jungle Temple In Goa?
- Outlook Traveller — Offbeat Alert: Temples To Visit On Your Goa Trip
- The Goan — Tambdi Surla
- Gomantak Times — Goa's Mahadev temple at Tambdi Surla: Where nature meets divinity
- Kushavati District Administration, Government of Goa — About District
- The Goan — Govt notifies creation of third district 'Kushavati'
Further reading: Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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