In the tiny village of Kurti in northern Goa, surrounded on all sides by high hills, stands the Shri Vijayadurga Temple, built around 1560.
Interestingly, this temple was originally located in Sancoale, though not for long: in the 16th century, due to the active imposition of Christianity by the Portuguese, local residents decided to move it. According to Hindu tradition, to do this it is enough to relocate the statues of the principal deities.
The shrine is dedicated to Shiva's wife, Parvati. In the neighboring village of Kavalem there is a temple in honor of Shri Shantadurga - another incarnation of Parvati. Once it was she who managed to settle a major dispute between Shiva and Vishnu, two of the most important gods in Hinduism. For this, Shantadurga received a new name — the name of victory, "Vijaya," in honor of which the new temple was built. Incidentally, it has the unofficial shortened name "Vijari".
At the end of the 20th century, a tower was added to the building, on which lights are lit during festivals. The utility buildings here appeared even later, at the very beginning of the 21st century.
Opposite the temple there is a natural pond, and it is recommended to take photographs with a view of the temple from that side.
