#hinduism in practice
Most towns in the south Konkan have a cluster of shrines and temples dedicated to the deities of the village (ग्रामदेवता). These form the focal point of religious celebrations for the town.
Such a cluster of temples and houses, houses of clans responsible for temple ceremonies and upkeep (मानकरी) and officiating Brahmins responsible for Nitya Puja and other rituals, is called a Deulwada.
The Deulwada of Malvan (coastal town in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, just north of Goa), is centered around five temples, each dedicated to a local deity which is also a form of one of the principal Gods of Hinduism. These are:
1. श्री देव रामेश्वर - Lord Shiva
2. श्री देव नारायण - Lord Vishnu
3. श्री देवी सातेरी - Goddess Durga
4. श्री देवी भावई - Goddess Maha Lakshmi
5. श्री देवी पावणाई - Goddess Maha Saraswati
Over the next few days, I will follow up with more detailed posts on each temple.
