Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that around 1,000 temples were destroyed during Portuguese rule, claiming that many of them belonged to the Kadamba period and had been built by Goans.“Had the Portuguese not come here, we would have seen South India-like temples in Goa,” he said, adding that the Portuguese had engaged in “religious politics” during their rule over the state.The Chandreshwar Bhootnath temple was one of the first temples in the state, said Sawant, adding that the period spanning the reigns of Kadamba rulers from Jayakeshi I to IV represented a golden era in Goan history.“When it comes to the country’s colonial history, it is the people of Goa that have suffered most under 450 years of Portuguese rule and Inquisition. 150 years from now, when people speak of Koti Tirth, people will not just speak of my work as a CM but also of everyone who collaborated to make this historic day happen,” Sawant said.He further alleged that the Adil Shah Palace in Panaji was initially constructed by the Kadambas and was neither originally built by the Adil Shahi rulers nor by the Portuguese. “We need to highlight the history of the Kadambas to Goans,” he said.The chief minister was speaking at a Gokulashtami programme held to mark the Koti Tirtha Corridor project in Divar. He said that the project would be completed within a year.TOI had reported on Friday about medieval relics found at the site in Divar. Shedding light on the same, he said that the find reveals how developed the architecture was at that point.Sawant said the Koti Tirtha project was the realisation of a vision conceived nearly three decades ago.“The Saptakoteshwar temple had been rebuilt during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji and it was a matter of fortune that the present generation has an opportunity to revive the heritage associated with the site. As long as we have ‘Dev, Dharm and Desh’, our nation will be protected,” he said.“This temple is not just of the people of Divar Island but that of the people of Goa,” he added.Sawant said the directorate of archaeology and the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) would work together to ensure that the project was executed smoothly.He also announced that a permanent Koti Tirtha office had been established in the village to facilitate devotees and visitors travelling to the site. He added that govt also intended to develop Gopakkapatnam port, which falls within the St Andre constituency.
