Temple Description

The Kappe Chennigaraya Temple, located on the southern side of the Belur Chennakeshava Temple complex in Karnataka, India, is a smaller shrine that was commissioned by Shantala Devi, the principal queen consort of King Vishnuvardana, who also constructed the main Chennakeshava Temple. Work on the Kappe Chennigaraya Temple began concurrently with the main temple in 1117 CE, and Shantala Devi played a key role in overseeing its construction.

Although it shares some architectural features with the main Chennakeshava Temple, the Kappe Chennigaraya Temple is notably smaller and less elaborately decorated. It serves as a prototype for the main temple.

A distinct architectural difference between the two is that the Chennakeshava Temple is an ekakuta temple, meaning it has a single garbhagriha (inner sanctum), while the Kappe Chennigaraya Temple is a dwikuta temple, featuring two garbhagrihas—one to the west and another to the south, each with its own entrance.