Ramnath Temple

According to Indian mythology, when Lord Rama killed the demon king Ravana, he became remorseful. The act of slaying bothered him so much that he sought penance in the worship of Lord Shiva and installed a Shiva lingam at the shores of Rameshwar. Rama's nath (or Lord) here is Shiva. Hence in one form, Ramanth refers to Lord Shiva. In another, however, Ramanth refers to the one whose God is Lord Rama. When Shiva drank the poison from the churning of the oceans, his throat turned blue. To soothe himself, he recited Rama's name. Shiva's nath (or Lord) here is Rama, Vishnu's avatar. This divine unity of Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva) is what the temple of Ramnathi symbolises.

The original site of this temple was in Loutolim in the Salcete taluka of Goa. In the 16th century, when the Portuguese started forcible religious conversions to Christianity and demolishing places of worship, many Hindus managed to rescue their idols and fled to the nearby Ponda region. In 2011, Ramnath Temple at this location completed 450 years of its existence. This temple is within a few minutes of walking distance from the Shantadurga Temple at Kavalem. Its unassuming entrance from the road is disproportional to its significance in Goa. However, as you cross the pathway next to a small lake and enter the compound, the glorious structure along with a beautiful lamp tower emerges.