Large Images on the Walls

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The central portion of the external walls of the temple is adorned with the images of gods and goddesses. The images are beautiful and well proportioned. Most of the images are STHAANAKA ( ಸ್ಥಾನಕ ) i.e., STANDING in posture while some are AASEENA ( ಆಸೀನ ) i.e., in SITTING posture.
The images on the southern wall are carved by BAICHOJA ( ಬೈಚೋಜ ) while those on the northern wall are the works of MALLITAMMA ( ಮಲ್ಲಿತಮ್ಮ ). What is very interesting about these images is the fact that the the two sculptors have inscribed their names below most of the images that they have carved. Look at the AASEENA AMARANAARAAYANA ( ಆಸೀನ ಅಮರನಾರಾಯಣ ) below now. Zoom it and on the pedestal you find the Kannada inscription SRI AADIMOORTI DEVARANU NANDIYA BAICHOJA MAADIDA KANDIRE ( ಶ್ರೀ ಆದಿ ಮೂರ್ತಿ ದೇವರನು ನಂದಿಯ ಬೈಚೋಜ ಮಾಡಿದ ಕಂಡಿರೆ )meaning that it is the work of BAICHOJA of NANDI.

AMARANAARAYANA on the Southern wall

 The ASHTABHUJA NAATYA LAKSHMI ( ಅಷ್ಟಭುಜ ನಾಟ್ಯ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ), (eight armed dancing LAKSHMI) the photo of which is seen below, adores the northern wall of the temple.If the picture is zoomed the name of the sculptor -MALLITAMMA - can be seen inscribed in old Kannada on the pedestal. Mallitamma was a prolific sculptor who was actively involved in carving images for HOYSALA TEMPLES for more than seventy years !
ASHTABHUJA LAKSHMI

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