There is a small cave temple, dedicated to Nancharamma ( Nacharamma) at the hill outside Mulabagilu town, Kolar District on Bengaluru -Chennai, Tirupati Highway. (NH4), since from my boyhood at Mulbagal. My understanding is Nachiyar- Goddess in Tamil. Many times, we used to reach out this almost open temple, (now closeted), on our way to Vinayaka temple, on the other side at be Kurudumale. A rock edict, in Kannada was discovered dated- 1416, where some grants are made by Proudha devaraaya to the shrine, fetching some grains and money.
we even have a temple devoted to her sister, Ranabheramma, in town, during Vokkaliga rulers of this area. We have more Nacharamma, as mother goddess, is one among them in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh- Kadapa ( now YSR ) districts. Nacharamma is also related to Sankethi (Shenkottai) Brahmin community of Kaushikas / Bettadapura also in a different way. They have some narratives about her.
it is very curious to know that the name, Nachiyar- goddess or female deity, Lakshmi/ Parvati is common in southern part of our nation. Even some village deities are also referred as Nacharamma.. Since there is at present, no shrine of Vishnu/Shiva, it might not be that of their consorts also, hence it shall a Gramadevata of the town, during later Chola period, we were told that some bali, was offered to Devi on certain Pournima days. Devi with 4 hands, in seated posture, has simple ornaments, with a small crown on a rock.
Mulabagilu- Eastern door to Vijayanagar from South, was usually a Military granary/ weaponry since several centuries. It forms a safe town either from Tamil country or Andhra province then. A dry land, this town was never rich in history of Karnataka. There is no water resource, hence certain crops are seldom grown here.
Nachiyar could be a brave lady of the locality, now elevated as Goddess, who gave her life to save the land from some unwanted occupation. But, honours to this deity is on a par with other shrines, during Navaratri Utsava, each year, when a small metal image of the Devi is taken in a procession on Vijayadashami day. it is very difficult to say who installed the image. However, taking Chola and earlier Tamil rulers and the name, we can say she is a vernacular version of a female deity.
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