LORD CHENNAKESAVA OF BELUR

The versatile Santala Devi, the queen - consort of Bittideva, the-illustrious Hoyasla king confessed - "Vishnu is the God, of course, but I am fond of adoring Lord Jina - Vishnu daivam, Jinanatham tanagendu aptam". What transpired between Bittideva and Ramanuja, when they met first at Tonnur, near Melkote records are silent, but the impact is tremendous, more on religion than on anything else. Slowly the Jain patron found himself drifting towards Vaishnavism. It was at this moment, he chanced to visit the Mahalakshmi temple at Doddagaddavalli in Hassan district, built by a merchant. Its architectural splendor exuding sculptural profusion deliberately employed to play a predominant role touched his heart and moved him most. And it became a turning point in his life. His faith in Jainism shaken due to the contact of the Acharya slowly solidified into dynamic Vaishnavism. Soon he launched the construction programme on a scale gigantic, and vigour unheard of. 

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