Temple tourism to get sanctity SOPs

Panaji: Amidst concerns about traffic congestion, the sanctity of sacred places and cleanliness, the tourism department has started to prepare norms and guidelines for tourists who will visit the 11 temples that have been identified as part of the temple circuit or Ekadasha Teertha Yatra.

The department recently held a meeting with representatives of the 11 temple committees associated with the circuit. The representatives said the spiritual sanctity of each temple should be maintained while hosting tourists.

“The representatives emphasised the importance of formulating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for tourists. They also recommended that tourist itineraries be planned carefully during temple festivals,” said tourism director Kedar Naik.

Parking and traffic management emerged as key concern for the temple committees, particularly when buses and large vehicles carrying tourists arrive at temple sites. The representatives told the department to consider temple-specific solutions to ensure smooth visitor movement and avoid congestion.

The Ekadasha Teertha Yatra covers 11 temples: Manguesh temple in Mangeshi, Mahalasa Narayani temple in Mardol, Mahadev temple in Tambdi Surla, Saptakoteshwar temple in Narve, Brahma temple in Sattari, Shantadurga Temple in Fatorpa, Hari Mandir in Margao, Damodar temple in Zambaulim, Parashuram temple in Poinguinim, Mahaganapati temple in Khandola, and Dattatreya temple in Sanquelim.

The department has planned a four-day temple circuit with tourists being given a tour of 3-4 temples each day.The department also plans to integrate the circuit with the Old Goa heritage sites and a river cruise.While temple committee members have cautiously welcomed the initiative, they also provided suggestions to ensure that the spiritual sanctity of each temple is maintained while hosting tourists.

Naik said that while the Ekadasha Teertha Yatra is meant to promote tourism, it also provides devotees from other parts of India the opportunity to immerse themselves in Goa’s spiritual heritage.

To enhance the tourist experience, the department plans to develop common facilities at each of the 11 temples, with about Rs 1.21 crore being spent on the facilities.