01The linga of Rama
The temple’s tradition holds that Ramnath is the linga Shri Rama worshipped after the war in Lanka, to free himself of the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahmin; the Goud Saraswat families who brought the cult to Goa kept it at Loutolim in Salcete. When the Portuguese began demolishing the temples of Salcete in the 1560s, the linga was taken across the Zuari to Bandivade in Ponda. It is still the kula-devata of many families who live far away, in Mumbai, Karnataka and abroad, and who come back for weddings and thread ceremonies.
02Five shrines, one courtyard
Like other Goan temples Ramnathi follows the panchayatana: Ramnath in the centre, with Shanteri, Kamakshi, Lakshmi-Narayana and Ganapati, along with Betal and Kalbhairav. The sanctum doors are covered in silver. Its devotees follow the Gokarn Partagali and Kashi Math traditions of the community. Its tank and lamp-tower are in the Goan style, and the Shigmo and Navaratri festivals fill the courtyard.
The life of this place
- 1560sThe linga is taken from Loutolim to Bandivade as the Salcete temples are destroyed.
In Ramnathi village near Bandivade, a few kilometres from Ponda; Nagesh temple is close by.
