Akkana Basadi


Akkana Basadi is a Jain temple built in 1181 A.D., during the rule of Hoysala empire King Veera Ballala II. The basadi was constructed by the devout Jain lady Achiyakka, wife of Chandramouli, a Brahmin minister in the court of the Hoysala king. The main deity of the temple is the twenty-third Jain Tirthankar Parshwanath. The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Temple plan

According to art historian Adam Hardy, the basadi is a simple single shrine with superstructure construction with a closed hall. The material used is Soap stone. The sanctum that houses the standing image of Tirthankara Parshwanatha connects to the hall via an antechamber. From the outside, the entrance to the hall is through a porch whose awning is supported by lathe turned half pillars. According to art historians Percy Brown and Gerard Foekema, all these features are commonly found in Hoysala temples. According to historian Kamath, the use of Soap stone as basic building material was a technique the Hoysalas adopted from the predecessors, the Western Chalukyas. The temple which faces east is enclosed with in a bounding wall, while the entrance is from the south. Typical of a Jain basadi, the outer walls of the temple are plain, giving it an austere outlook. The temple stands on a base that comprises five moldings.
The tower over the shrine is plain. However, on a projection on the east side is a panel sculpture in relief that depicts a saint with his attendants on either side and a Kirtimukha over his head. This is a work of merit. The tower comprises three tiers, each ascending tier diminishing in height. Above the third tier is a dome like structure. This is the largest sculptural piece in the temple with a ground surface area of about 2x2 meters. The shape of the dome usually follows that of the shrine. The vestibule also has a short tower which looks like an extension of the main tower over the shrine. Gerard Foekema calls it the "nose" of the main tower. The vestibule contains two free sculptures of the yakshas, Dharnendra and Padmavati. The door lintel and jamb of vestibule and the sanctum are decorative and have perforated screens on either side. The hall ceiling is supported by four centrally placed large lathe turned, bell shaped and polished pillars that divide the ceiling into nine "bays". The bay ceilings are rich in relief.

Gallery