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Directly
to the west of Siddhara basadi and opposite to Gommata is a
Brahmadeva pillar with a pavilion at the top enshrining a seated
figure of Brahmadeva. Below this pavilion stands the figure of a
woman called Gullakayajji, about five feet high, facing Gommata and
holding a Gullakayi in her hands. There is a tradition that
when Chamundaraya made elaborate arrangements for performing the
Abhisheka of Gommata, the milk did not descend lower than the
thighs. But when guru directed him to use for anointment the little
milk brought by a pious old woman in a Gullakayi, it
instantly ran down all over the statue in streams and covered the
hill. It is said that Gullakayajji or the Granny holding the
Gullakayi was the Goddess Padmavati who, in order to break the pride
of Chamundaraya at his great accomplishment, appeared at the time of
the anointment in the guise of a poor old woman. According to
another tradition she was the mythological Kushmandini. It is said
that Chamundaraya got this image of Gullakayajji erected here and as
mentioned the origin of the name of the village is also attributed
by some to this tradition. |
