Saturday, June 10, 2017

Weekend Getaway 50: Chennakeshava temple, Kaidala

Date: 4th June 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Timing: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Fee: None

Distance: 98 Kms one way

Direction: Bangalore - Nelamangala - Dabaspete - Kayathsandra - Gulur - Kaidala

Parking: Available

Food: None

Photography: Allowed except Main Deity.

Other attractions nearby: Mandaragiri hillUnique Shantisagar Guru Mandir and Chandraprabha Thirthakar

Kaidala is the birth place of the famous sculptor Jakanachari. He was the master sculptor of the famous Belur and Halebeidu temples. This temple was built by Jakanachari and his son Dankanachari. Jakanachari left his wife at early years and went on to build many beautiful temples. After many years his son reaches Belur in search of his father and was wonder struck by the Belur temple that was under construction. He stays on and one day he points out at a mistake in one of the statue. Angered Jakanachari challenges him to show the flaw. Dankanachari chisels out the navel part of the statue and a small frog leaps out. Jakanachari as said cutoff his right hand. Later he realize its his son and both of them comes back to their village then known as Kridapura.

The father son duo built this temple after Jakanachari had a vision to build the temple in his home village.

There was no power in the temple when we reached. The elderly priest lit up a bigger lamp to show idol from top to bottom. The intricate carvings are a visual treat. Photography of the idol was prohibited.

There was another small shrine and a mandapa. Main temple is well maintained but other sections look abandoned.

Legand says that Jakanachari got back his right hand immediately after completing the temple. Thus the name kaidala.

The temple was built by Jakanachari in his later years. He was around 85 years. Without the right hand Jakanachari sculptured the idol with his left hand or his son Dankanachari carved the statue under the supervision of his father.

Gangadhareshewara next to the chennakeshava temple was closed when we reached. Looks like it was closed for very long time. There mandapa was filled with dust.


There are few carvings on the walls here and there.

The pillars at the entrance had some nice carvings.



Idol of lord Krishna at the entrance.

Lathe turned pillars seen in most hoysala temples.

The Gangadhareshewara temple was dedicated to lord Shiva.

Stone wheels?
The exteriors or the pillars of the temple are no where close to other hoysala temples. However it seems all the effort was put in to carve one of the most beautiful idol.

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