PAGES FROM HISTORY: THE MYTH OF JAKANACHARI
By Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Dept. of Ancient
HISTORY & Archaeology, University of Mysore.
Ask any school-going child about Jakanachari, the ready answer will be he built Belur Channakeshava
temple and many Hoysala temples. When you visit any Hoysala temple, the guide will tell you in detail the story of Jakanachari and his illustrious son Dankanachari. In case you visit Kaidala village, 5 km from Tumkur and visit the Channakeshava temple, the priest will tell you the story of Jakanachari, who got back his hand and hence the place was called Kaidala.
Jakanachari, born at Kaidala and living with his wife and son, was moving from place to place building
temples all over Karnataka. In course of time, he lost touch with his family. The Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, who heard of this sculptor, commissioned him to build the Channakeshava temple at Belur. The main Channakeshava temple was completed. Queen Shantaladevi asked for another temple to be built in the same enclosure and the day of inauguration arrived.
In the meantime, Jakana's wife and son Dankana heard that a great
sculptor had built a fine temple at Belur and both of them went there to see it without knowing that it was built by Jakana. After seeing the Channakeshava sculpture, Dankana shouted that the image is defective and not worthy of worship. Everyone including the king, queen, Ministers and general public were taken aback by the boy's outburst and warned him of the consequences of making such a serious allegation against the sculptor.
Immediately Jakanachari took a pledge to cut off his right hand if the young man proved his point. Dankanachari applied sandal paste to the belly part of the image; it remained wet while other parts dried. The young man chiselled the wet part of the image and lo ! to the utter dismay, they found water, sand and a frog. As per the vow, Jakana cut his hand.
In course of time, Jakana went to his native village Kaidala and due to the divine grace, got back his hand and he built the Keshava temple. People who believe in this story show Kappe (frog) Channigaraya temple at Belur and say that it was the temple which led to this incident, and hence there is no worship there. This is known by an inscription on the pedestal of the image itself.
The above story of Jakana cannot be accepted as true because hundreds of inscriptions that are found in various Hoysala temples do not refer even once to the sculptor Jakanachari and Dankanachari. Even if we dismiss this as a negative evidence, there is a more authentic positive evidence which we may refer to now. One special feature of the Hoysala temples is the presence of the
names of the
sculptors on the pedestal of the images they themselves carved. At least 400 sculptors, who worked in about 500 Hoysala temples are known to us. These labels, as we may call them, are engraved on the pedestals of the images, walls of the temple including the sikhara or tower. They are written in Kannada letters of 12th-13th century characters.
In most cases their full name is written as in the case of Mallitamma, Honoja, Chaudeya, Masanitamma, Baichoja, Dasoja, Chavana etc. In some instances only their initial is carved as in the case of Ho for Honoja, Chau for Chaudeya, Bai for Baichoja, Ma for Mallitamma. In some cases, the accomplished sculptors have strings of birudus attached to their names. The examples for this practice are 'artist Dasoja of Balligame'; 'Acchutamurti, the sculptor of Dasoja'. All these sculptors belonged to craftsman clan and generally had the name ending oja (teacher) or achari.
The famous temple of Belur including Madanikai sculptures have names of sculptors Dasoja, his son Chavana, Chikka Hampa, Malloja, Nagoja etc., but not Jakanachari. The sculptors of Halebeed temples were, Kedaroja, Kalidasi, Damoja, Haridasi and Ketana. Mallitamma, another great sculptor, worked at Somanathapura, Amritapura, Javagal, Harli, Govindanahalli. Baichoja, Bairoja, Bamoja, Chavundoja, Gangachari, Suryanna, Chaudeya were the other famous sculptors of Hoysala temples. These sculptors had their own craft guides and received cash as well as land as remuneration. Thus these celebrated sculptors and architects immortalised themselves by carving wonderful images and their names below, making both immortal in the world of art.
But what is intriguing is the absence of the names of Jakanachari and Dankanachari among these four hundred artists whose names appear in stone. Obviously they belong to the world of imagination and not history. As historians put it 'myth making was the pastime of medieval bards' and naturally Jakanachari and Dankanachari came in handy for them. This often happens in the history of all countries but ultimately historical truth prevails. That is the reason why Jakanachari is considered a myth and a mere myth.
Next time you visit any Hoysala temple do not fail to notice and see the name of Hoysala artist carved below some sculptures. This will help you meet the creator of the magnificent temple of the bygone ages.
Sometime ago a few people belonging to the sculptors' profession complained against the historians for considering Jakanachari as a mythical person, to the government. However, the government, in its wisdom, did not interfere in the matter relating to history.
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