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INSIDE STORY

A craftsman’s tale

Photos: lakshmi Sharath

Rich in folklore The temple at Kaidala

It was in Belur where I first heard of Amarashilpi Jakkanacharya, the master sculptor who had carved the beautiful Chennakesava idol there, among others. And to know more about him, I went to Kaidala, the birthplace of the artist, a nondescript villa ge near Tumkur. Originally known as Kreedanagari or Kreedapura, Kaidala was under the Hoysala reign, probably under Nripa Haya and ruled by a chieftain called Baachideva.

A Chennakesava temple, along with a Gangadareshwara shrine built in the 12th Century, is completely cut off from the tourist circuit.

The walls enclose the temple complex like a fort, and you can see a few mandapams. The caretakers include a few old men and women, along with a priest who sits outside the temple

The temple lacks the magnificence of the Belur Chennakesava temple, but the six-foot idol dedicated to the deity is almost exactly the same. Crafted by Jakkanacharya in black stone, the deity is flanked by Sridevi and Bhoodevi.

Another tall sculpture with folded hands holding a dagger is possibly the master sculptor himself or the local chieftain. The outer wall has a small image of a couple, who, the priest says, could be Jakkanacharya’s parents.

This is where we heard the story of Jakkanacharya. The master craftsman left Kaidala and travelled far and wide and became a sculptor. Meanwhile, his son Dankachari grew up without seeing his father, and became a sculptor as well. The son soon followed his father’s footsteps and landed in Belur when the Chennakesava temple was built.

Although he was not aware that his father was the sculptor, he pointed out a flaw in the idol of Chennakesava deity. Jakkanacharya refused to accept that there could be a blemish, and proclaimed that he would cut off his hand if a defect was found.

The priest tells us that a test was conducted and the statue, covered with sandal paste, was found to have dried up everywhere except in the navel area where a cavity is found.

A live frog was found inside. Hence, the idol was called ‘Kappe Channigaraya’ (Kappe means frog in Kannada). Jakkanacharya cut off his right hand, only to find out that the young sculptor was his son.

The story does not end here as folklore usually has a happy ending. It is said that Jakkanacharya got a vision from the Lord, asking him to return to Kaidala and build a Chennakesava temple there. Both father and son sculpted the idol here and carved the sculptures together in the temple, and it is said that his right hand was restored as soon as the temple was built.

Apparently the name was changed to Kaidala after the incident although a stone inscription here mentions the name as “Kayadala”. Its not very often a village is immortalised by a sculptor. The story of Jakkanacharya lives in these Hoysala sculptures.

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