Shantadurga Kunkalyekarin Temple

Getting there

• By road

  Kadamba buses run from the large Kadamba bus stand at Panaji and from smaller stands in other Goan towns.

Why devotees come here

Shantadurga Kunkalyekarin Temple stands in Fatorpa village in Quepem taluka, Goa, and is counted among the oldest temples in the state. It is dedicated to Devi Shantadurga, the most popular form of Durga revered in Goa.

Shree Shantadurga is worshipped in almost all Goan villages and in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, often as an ant hill. She is the most popular form of Durga revered in Goa, and her worship also reaches parts of Karnataka. She was originally from Cuncolim village in Salcete taluka. In the 16th century, during Portuguese persecution, she was moved to Fatorpa. The Fatorpa shrine, known as Kunkalikarin, is listed among her temples in Goa, and the village has two famous temples of Shree Shantadurga.

The temple was rebuilt under the Maratha ruler Chatrapati Shahu, after an earlier building was destroyed in a Portuguese invasion. A massive doorway called the Mahadwar stands at the entrance. The main dome carries a large gold-plated kalash. Inside the garbhagraha are two statues of Shree Shantadurga, one seated and one standing.

The annual zatra falls in Pausha month, on Pausha Shuddha Navami. Thousands of devotees and tourists come from across the world to take part in it.

Festivals

This year

• 4 to 8 January 2025Shri Shantadurga Kunkallikarin Zatra, 2025

  The zatra dates listed for 2025.

Every year

• Pausha monthShri Shantadurga Zatra

  The annual zatra on Pausha Shuddha Navami draws thousands of devotees and tourists.

Tips for your visit

• Guest houses, called agrashala, stand inside the temple compound for visitors.
• Pilots, motorcycle taxis, are the fastest way around Goan towns and for short trips on the outskirts.
• Bargain with the pilot for the fare before you set out.

Questions people ask