Namaskara! If you ever wander into the gold-dusted lanes of Kolar in Karnataka, you’ll quickly hear about one place that defines the town—the Kolaramma Temple. For us locals, this is not just a temple, it’s the living soul of our land, a quiet guardian who has watched over us for more than a thousand years.
The Goddess Who Guards Us
The presiding deity here is Kolaramma, a fierce and maternal goddess we worship as a form of Durga. She is depicted as Mahishasuramardini, the slayer of the buffalo demon, armed and alert like a warrior queen. For generations, she has been our protector—over the town, our homes, and even against dangers of the natural world.
The temple itself is built in the Dravidian style, dating back to the Chola dynasty of the 10th–11th century. Walk along its granite walls, and you’ll find inscriptions in Tamil, written nearly a millennium ago. For me, standing there always feels like standing in an open-air history book, where every stone whispers the story of who we are.
The Mystery of Chelamma—the Scorpion Goddess
One of the temple’s most unique features is its second shrine: Chelamma, our local Scorpion Goddess. Her gold-plated image rests within the same mantapa that houses Kolaramma and the Saptamatrikas.
Now, this might surprise outsiders, but for us, Chelamma is as much a part of our lives as Kolaramma. She is worshipped as the one who protects against scorpion stings and venom. Even today, people drop coins into a traditional hundi here, believing they’ll be blessed with her protection.
During festivals like Nag Panchami, some devotees even carry live scorpions in their hands or on their tongues, utterly fearless in their faith. It’s not a stunt—it’s trust. The belief is that under the goddess’s watch, no harm will come. Many elders here swear they’ve seen scorpions near the sanctum, resting quietly, never stinging anyone.
The Seven Mothers—Saptamatrikas
Inside the temple, alongside Kolaramma and Chelamma, you’ll find the shrine of the Saptamatrikas—the Seven Divine Mothers. They are:
- Brahmani (creative power of Brahma)
- Maheshwari (power of Shiva)
- Kaumari (power of Kartikeya)
- Vaishnavi (power of Vishnu)
- Varahi (power of Varaha)
- Indrani (power of Indra)
- Chamundi (fierce form of Durga)
Here in Kolar, they are not just symbols. They are guardians, seated together, watching silently. Their presence suggests the temple was once a major Shakta center, deeply tied to traditions of tantra and goddess worship. For us, though, they’re simply part of the family—quiet, powerful mothers who protect us in ways seen and unseen.
Rituals and Everyday Faith
Unlike the grand, ritual-heavy temples you may find elsewhere, worship at Kolaramma’s shrine feels intimate. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the temple is especially vibrant, with women offering turmeric, kumkum, and bangles. The prayers are simple, but heartfelt—requests for health, marriage, fertility, or just peace.
The temple priests carry forward old oral traditions, retelling how the goddess protected the town from epidemics, droughts, and invasions. These aren’t just stories—they’re living memories that bind us to her.
More Than Stone and Scorpions
For us locals, the temple isn’t just a historic monument; it’s part of our daily rhythm. It’s where our grandmothers first took us by the hand, where we learned that goddesses can be both loving and fierce, and where even scorpions lose their sting under divine grace.
So, if you ever find yourself in Kolar, don’t just rush past on the way to Bengaluru or Hampi. Step inside the Kolaramma Temple. Sit in the cool granite mantapa. Let the silence and the stone inscriptions tell their story. And if you happen to see a scorpion, don’t be alarmed—you’re in her care.
Because here in Kolar, we all know one truth: Kolaramma watches over us.