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Taimii
Surla Temple:
 Mahadeva
Temple of 'Tamdi Surla'
in Sangue Taluka is another
old temple in Goa. It was
built perhaps in early 12th
Century. The Temple stands
by itself on a grassy hillock
with high hills in the background.
The Temple is built completely
of stone. The style is by
and large the same as that
of the 'Hemad-panti' style
which is attributed to Hemadri,
the Chief Minister of Emperor
Ramachandra of Devagiri.
The Temple which is facing
East comprises of three
portions consisting of the
main hall, the inner hall
and the sanctum with the
Shikara over the sanctum.
The Temple is plain from
outside. The entrance hall
can be approached through
steps from North, South
and East side. The ceiling
of this hall is made of
sloping stone slabs. There
is a row of five plain pillars
on each side of the hall.
In the centre are four carved
pillars.
The niches of the Shikara
have reliefs of Vishnu,
Brahma, Shiva, Parvati and
other deities. The exterior
walls as pointed out by
Shri Dhume are joined with
adjacent slabs by the system
named 'male-female system.'
which is a unique style.
Seminary of Rachol:
 The
Rachol Seminary was built
in 1609. It is a huge building
which gives the impression
of formidable frowning structure.
There is a huge gate which
could control the entry
into the building. There
are numerous turrets at
the roof which could have
served as watch towers.
The Seminary is a Jesuit
institution. The courtyard
had an ornate fountain with
a water system. The building
has over fifty rooms which
are decorated with religious
murals and paintings. The
Seminary houses a very well
stocked library. In the
rooms we have antique furniture.
There is also a tunnel which
nobody can tell where it
leads to. Hundreds of students
used to study in this institution.
Today the number is as low
as forty.
 Set'
Cathedral:
The See Cathedral in Velha
Goa (Old Goa) was begun
in 1562 and finished in
1619. The designers were
Julio Semao and Ambrosio
Arguerio. The Cathedral
had a symet-rical facade
but one of the towers was
struck down by lightning
in 1776. The Church has
a length of 76 meters and
a breadth of 54.4 meters.
The facade is 35.3 meters
high. The exterior is a
blend of Doric and Tuscan
style. The Church is the
largest in Asia. The interior
has a vaulted ceiling and
is decorated in the baroque
style associated with the
Portuguese colonial architecture.
The Church which has 3 Altars
on each side. The main high
Altar piece is very large
and richly decorated with
engravings, pillars and
pilasters. It has three
niches in the centre, one
above the other with images
of St. Catherine, Nossa
Senhora d' Assupcao and
Christ crucified. The base
of the Altar has sculptures
of Apostles, etc. with Christ
in the middle. There are
four panels depicting the
Life of St. Catherine surrounded
by a figure of the Saint.
Seventeenth century inlaid
chests containing the vestments
and plate are pal-ced in
the sacristy. The vestments
are embriodered in Chinese,
Mughal and Persian styles.
 Basilica
of Bom Jesus:
The Basilica of Bom Jesus
is also known as the Church
of St. Francis Xavier, the
Patron Saint of Goa. The
Church was built in 1594
facing West has the main
Altar facing East. The Facade
is a mixture of Ionic, Doric,
and Corinthian style. The
Northern flank of the Basilica
is of red later-ite stone.
The main design is in the
shape of a cross. On the
Northern side are three
buttresses to support the
wall. On the Western front,
the windows and doors are
surrounded by yellow stones
which contrast with the
later-ite stone. The facade
in which is 23.7 meters
high and 22.8 meters broad
has four distinct parts.
At the ground level are
three portals, above these
are three large windows,
the third part has three
circular windows and the
last forms a richly embellished
quadrangle. The entire facade
is decorated with pillars
and rich carvings. The bell
tower is at the back. The
roof is a modern type of
roof. The interior of the
Church has a length of 55.77
meters and breadth of 16.77
meters and a height of 18.59
meters. On each side are
three rows of windows one
above the other. In addition
are those of the choir and
the corresponding circular
ones. The walls painted
in the white and grey are
decorated with gold lining.
The Church has a choir at
the entrance, two chapels,
a main altar and a sacristy.
The high altar has richly
sculptured gilded renedos
behind it. The Centre piece
is a huge figure of Ing-natius
Loyola, founder of the Jesuit
Order. The flanking altars
are equally well enriched
in gold. A side chapal is
completely filled with the
Tomb of St. Francis Xavier.
This was installed only
in 1698 nearly a century
and a half after the Sainfs
death. The interior of the
chapel is richly decorated
with carved wood and paintings
depicting scenes from the
Life of the Saint. The tomb
consists of three parts
- a rectangular base, the
masoleum and the silver
casket, reddish purple quadrangle
masoleum is decorated with
carvings in white marble.
In the middle are bronze
plaques on each side depicting
scenes from the Life of
the Saint. Each of the four
corners has two Carrara
Alabaster Cherubs. The silver
casket was built by Goan
Craftsmen in 1636. The casket
is about 2.13 meters long,
6.91 meters wide and 0.91
meters high exclusive of
the lid. There is a cross
on top of the pedestal with
two angles. The casket has
seven panels on each side
depicting carved scenes
from the life of the Saint.
The body of the Saint has
been exposed for the thirteenth
and last time in December
1974. Now we can get a glimpse
of the body through an illuminated
window.
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