Shri Bhagwati Devi Temple

Shri Bhagwati Devi Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Chodan, Pernem taluka, North Goa. Dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati, an eight-handed incarnation of Parvati, the temple is over 500 years old and survived Portuguese-era destruction. It features distinctive black stone elephant statues at the entrance and houses a complex of five shrines. The site is renowned for its annual Dussehra festival which attracts thousands of devotees.

Visitors can expect to see the imposing Ashtabhuja (eight-handed) deity of Goddess Bhagwati standing on a high pedestal within the main sanctum. The temple entrance is flanked by two life-size black stone elephant statues. The complex includes four additional shrines dedicated to Sateri, Ravalnath, Bhivangi Panchakshari, and Brahma. The architecture reflects traditional Goan temple style with historical significance as one of the few temples that remained intact during Portuguese rule.

The temple is said to be more than 500 years old and is one of the few temples in Goa that were allowed to stand during Portuguese rule when many others faced destruction. Some sources indicate it was established in 1413, predating Alfonso de Albuquerque's arrival in Goa, and was renovated in 1780 AD.

The temple is one of Goa's oldest and most revered Hindu shrines dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati. The annual Dussehra festival celebrated from Ashwin Shuddha Pratipada to Poornima is a major cultural event attracting over 25,000 devotees. The temple complex represents the survival of Hindu religious heritage through colonial periods.