Belur Chennakeshava Temple: Kapi Chesté – Mischievous Monkey Pulling Madanike’s Dress

Madanike chasing a monkey - A bracket figure mounted on the exterior wall of the Belur Chennakeshava Temple in Karnataka, India

Kapi Chesté – Mischievous monkey pulling madanike’s dress

Kapi Chesté – Mischievous monkey pulling madanike’s dress
As you can see from the image, a mischievous monkey appears to pull the dress of a beautiful lady as she tries to chase it with a small tree branch. She appears semi-nude, and her facial expression shows annoyance at being harassed by the monkey.

The base on which the dancer stands has an inscription, written in the Halegannada (Old Kannada), inscribed likely by the sculptor to describe himself and his work.

There are 38 bracket figures mounted on the pillars attached to the exterior wall surrounding the navaranga (the front portion of the temple). Each sculpture is attached to a bracket placed at an angle just below the eaves, with its base mounted on a pillar slightly below the pillar’s capital. As with the other bracket figures, the background of this bracket figure has a finely carved creeper.

Check the Navaraga Layout page for the locations of the bracket figures. Referring to the layout, this madanike is figure number 5, i.e., mounted on a pillar on the third section (S3) of the exterior wall.

Read more about this and other bracket figures at Belur Chennakeshava Temple: Bracket Figures.

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

Hoysala Temples:
Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Navaranga
Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Garbhagriha Outer Wall
Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
Somanathapura Keshava Temple
Badami Chalukya Temples:
Badami, Cave – 1, Cave – 2, Cave – 3, Cave – 4
Durga Temple at Aihole

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