Kaidala Chennakeshava Temple is located in Kaidala village of Tumkur taluk in Tumkur district of Karnataka state. This temple is a historical temple built by the immortal sculptor Jakanacharya. This temple is a temple built during the Hoysala period.
Kaidala Channakesava Temple is 75 kilometers from Bangalore and 10 kilometers from Tumkur city. It is just 08 KM from Tumkur city Railway Station.
Kaidala was earlier known as Kridapura. It is said to be the birth place of sculptor Jakanacharya. Jakanacharya’s son, Dankanacharya Belur Channigaraya found fault in the profession and pointed it out, Jakanacharya cut off his right hand. After that he came to his hometown Kaidala and built Chennigarayan Temple here. It is said that Jakanachari regained his hand, hence the name of this town is Kaidala. In 1950-51 Narasimha I was a Samanta (ಸಾಮಂತನಾಗಿದ್ದ) of the Hoysalas. An inscription tells us that Bachi or Gulibachi built temples of Shiva, Vishnu and Jaina here. Now only Chennakeshava and Gangadhareshwar temples remain.
Channakesava temple is in Dravida present style. Originally a temple of the Hoysala period, it seems to have been much modernized in later days. The gopuram above the mahadwara of the temple was built during the Vijayanagara period and the original idol of Channigaraya is very beautiful. The idol is 5.1 feet tall and is installed on a 21 feet high pedestal. There are Dasavatar symbols in the halo of the idol. There is an idol of Channakesava with his wife on a pillar to the right of the Mahadwara. On the left pillar is carved an image of Anjali Buddha as his successor, wielding a sword. Legend has it that it is a sculpture of Jakanacharya. But there is also a possibility that it is an idol of Goolibachi.
