Situated 12km north of Molem in the far northeastern corner of Sanguem taluka,

The tiny Mahadeva temple is the only specimen of Kadamba-Yadava architecture preserved and available in Goa and stands as a poignant memorial to Goa's lost Hindu architectural legacy. Dedicated to Lord Shiva and built from the finest weather resistant gyer-black basalt, the intricate handiwork adorning the interior and sides of the temple is astonishingly fresh.

The temple, itself, is composed of a pillared porch, with three stepped entrances, a small vestibule and shrine surmounted by a three-tiered sanctuary tower. The tower's top section has collapsed, but the carving on its upper section is still in good shape. Beautiful bas-reliefs project from the sides, depicting the Gods of the Hindu trinity, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, with their respective consorts featured in the panels above. Bands of delicate carvings pattern the sides of the porch. In the center of the main porch stands a headless Nandi bull, Shiva's vehicle, surrounded by four matching columns.

The temple's finest piece of stonework, however, has to be the intricate lotus motif carved out of the porch's ceiling. Flanked by four accessory deities, the pierced-stone screen surrounding the door of the vestibule comes a close second. The shrine itself houses a stone Shivalingam, mounted on a pedestal.