Betki Mandodari temple is located at Betki, 5 km from Marcel, Ponda, in Goa. The shrine does not honor Mandodari, Ravana's wife, but rather a young girl sacrificed for the construction of a larger reservoir. Here is the popular Betki Mandodari temple story.
In the 16th century, a girl named Young Mandodari lived in Betki village when locals were striving to establish a water management system.
Betki wasn't suffering from water scarcity; instead, it was
a lush hamlet with abundant springs and monsoon-fed streams. Wanting to harness
this water for year-round supply, the villagers decided to dig a massive tank
as a catchment area.
Despite numerous attempts to build a mud embankment, all
efforts failed. Frustrated, the villagers turned to superstition and opted for
a blood sacrifice. Mandodari and her brother Narbando, living near the tank,
were chosen for this dark ritual.
After the sacrifice, the embankment was successfully
erected, creating Mandodarichem Tollem, one of the state's largest man-made
lakes. However, the tragic events surrounding Mandodari and Narbando's
sacrifice were not over.
When the grieving mother discovered the conspiracy, she
cursed the village, declaring, "No rice will be cooked in Betki for 24
years." This ironic twist rendered the purpose of the lake useless.
Fortunately, the Fadte Gaonkar community, escaping
Portuguese persecution, migrated to Betki and helped convince the widow to
lessen her curse. The curse changed to "no rice will be cooked for 24
hours."
Relieved, the villagers built a shrine near the tank in
memory of Mandodari and Narbando, establishing Mandodari worship in the
village.
Every Mahashivratri, a palanquin procession reaches the
Mandodari shrine, where the goddess is worshipped.