Of a master craftsman and his vision

The story of sculptor Jakanachari is close to the hearts of the State’s people. However, Kaidala, where the famed sculptor is believed to have got his hand back, is not very well known. The town has two shrines, Chennakeshava temple and Gangadhareshwara temple, both examples of great Hoysala architecture, writes Kushal V R

Of the many legendary stories that one gets to hear about the construction of a palace, monument or shrine in the State, one story very close to the hearts of the people of Karnataka is that of the famous Hoysala sculptor Amarashilpi Jakanachari.

During the reign of Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, the famous temples of Belur and Halebeedu were constructed. At the time of the consecration of the idol of Chennakeshava, the sculptor Jakanachari is challenged by his hitherto unknown son Dankannachari, about the flaws in the idol. On discovering that the idol is flawed, Jakanachari, in a fit of humiliation severs his arm.

Eventually, the story goes that Jakanachari returns to his hometown and continues carving the idol of Lord Chennakeshava. Pleased with his efforts, the Lord blesses the sculptor and restores his hands and honour. However, not many are aware of the place where the sculptor gets his hands back. This place is the present-day Kaidala located in Tumkur district. Incidentally, this town happens to be hometown of the sculptor and gets its name from the Kannada meaning of ‘having one’s hands restored’.

Temple treasures

The temple compound at Kaidala consists of two shrines namely, the Chennakeshava temple and the Gangadhareshwara temple. Some sources place the temple construction around 1100 AD. The architecture at the Chennakeshava temple resembles the Dravidian style and seems well fortified.

Though the exterior looks modest and devoid of pomp and exuberance, the finesse and intricacy of the interiors makes up substantially for this. The exquisite, intricate designs and sculptures speak volumes about the sculptor’s skills and refinement.

The idol of the deity itself stands as a testimony to this. Although the temple was closed in the afternoon when we reached, luckily, the temple priest had left a well lit opening in the door of the sanctum sanctorum.

Though unable to have a proper darshan, the very glimpse of the idol was spellbinding. It is hard to believe that anyone with a severe handicap could have created this masterpiece.

The idol is about six feet tall and carved in black stone with the finesse of Hoysala style architecture. A detailed description of the temple and idol are available in the temple premises in Kannada which would help one get better information on the same.

The Gangadhareshwara temple situated behind the Chennakeshava temple is relatively smaller than the latter but matches it in its interior architecture. With Hoysala style architecture, the design of the pillars and the sculptures have to be seen to be believed.

One can even find tablet-type inscriptions in Halagannada placed inside the temple. Though not as well maintained as the Chennakeshava temple, the carvings and sculptures still stand out amidst the dust settled there. Even though it is in the vicinity of Guluru Ganesha temple, Kaidala is a relatively unknown spot as it is virtually off the tourist circuit. This could be a blessing in disguise as the temple surroundings and the village offer a calm and peaceful environment.

While returning from Kaidala, it is customary to stop at the famous Guluru Ganesha temple. This temple has a unique ritual attached to it. Every year, mud from the nearby Guluru lake is brought and used to build a massive idol of Lord Ganesha. This process goes on for months and involves a lot of effort. Once the idol is completed, it is then taken in a procession around the village and in the lake as part of the theppothsava (procession in the lake using boats).

Following this, the idol is immersed in the lake. This process is then repeated the next year as well.
However, when we visited the temple, the idol construction was yet to begin, so we missed an opportunity to see the construction.

If one has visited Belur or Halebeedu and has been awe-struck by their magnificence, then one definitely needs to make time to visit Kaidala and pay respects to the vision of the man who converted these masterpieces to reality.

How to get there

Both Kaidala and Guluru are located very close to the district centre of Tumkur and are well connected by roads. On reaching the outskirts of Tumkur, one can ask for Guluru which can be approached by a bypass road near Tumkur. Kaidala is situated on the opposite side of Guluru circle.