Shri Kanakadasa was a great devotee of Lord Shri Krishna. He lived at around the same time as Shri Vadiraja Swamiji at Udupi and was carrying out his Bhajans in front of the temple regularly.Kanakadasa, an ardent believer of God, came to Udupi to worship Lord Krishna. He was not allowed inside the temple since he was from a lower caste. Sri Krishna, pleased by the worship of Kanakadasa created a small hole in the back wall of the temple and turned to face the hole so that Kanakadasa could see him. This hole came to be known as Kanakana Kindi.  As per custom, the Swamiji who takes over charge of the worship for 2 years (paryaya) is required to see the Lord first through this spot. The sight of the beautiful deity of Krishna is available to everybody since then through the Kanakanakindi.