Kapi Chesté – Mischievous monkey pulling madanike’s dress
As you can see from the image, a mischievous monkey is pulling the dress of a beautiful lady who is trying to chase it with a small tree branch. She appears semi-nude, and her facial expression shows annoyance at being harassed by the monkey.
As with the other bracket figures, the background is a finely carved creeper. The base on which the dancer stands has an inscription written in the Halegannada (Old Kannada) script describing the sculptor – inscribed most likely by the sculptor himself.
There are 38 bracket figures mounted on the pillars attached to the exterior wall surrounding the navaranga (the front portion of the temple). Each of these bracket figures is attached to a bracket placed at an angle just below the eaves of the temple, and its base is mounted on a pedestal that is attached to the side of a pillar just below its capital.
This madanike is mounted on the third section of the exterior wall and is figure number 5 in the navaranga layout.
Other Madanikes (also known as Shilābālikes)
– Darpana Sundari, Sukha Bhashini, Nātya Sundari, Gāna Sundari, Kesha Sundari, Tribhangi, Nagna Sundari, Kapāla Durga, Koravanji, Nātya Mohini, Betegārthi
Male Bracket Figures
– Flute playing male musician
– Narthaka – Davane playing male dancer
– Davane playing male musician
Related Pages
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Navaranga
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Garbhagriha Exterior
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple Complex
— Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
– Somanathapura Keshava Temple – A Magnificent Temple Dedicated to Vishnu
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