Guest guest Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 Namaste, A lovely email from shree Narayanan. Lovely and Prayers, babitha Kerala has a great history of temple architecture. They are unique, and accord with the natural and climatic conditions of the state. A calendar full of festivals and strict worshipping rules mark the life in these temples. The history of Kerala dates back to the Cheras dynasty of the third century BC. The temples have been mentioned in the works of Tamil Alwar Saints and the Nayanmar Saints. Kulasekhara Alwar and Cheraman Perumaal (one of the Nayanmaars) belonged to the Cheras of the 9th century AD. Many other works were written on temple architecture during the 15th and the 16th centuries. The Maharajas of Travancore were ardent patrons of temples. Several temples trace their origins to antiquity. They have been renovated and enormous changes have been made since their inception. General ArchitectureTemple architecture in Kerala is different. Largely dictated by geography for kerala is bound with forests, and monsoons, which has led the roofs to be steep and pointed, and covered with copper sheets. The shape of the roof is according to the sanctum below. A circular plan has a conical roof, while a square plan has a pyramidal roof. The roof is constructed in wood and then covered with copper plates. Most of the temples have undergone renovation, due to the nature of the construction materials. The central sanctum is referred to as the Sree Kovil and is surrounded by a cloistered prakaram having one or more gopuradwara-doors. The cloistered prakaram has a namaskara mandapam located directly in front of the sanctum. The prakaram houses many smaller shrines. A kitchen is located in the southeastern corner here. The mukha mandapam is integrated with the gopura entrance- main entrance. The flagstaff -dwaja stambham is located in the outer courtyard. The balipitham is also located close to the dwaja stambham. It also houses other shrines, and a temple tank. The Kuttambalam – theater hall is in the inner prakaram, on the southeast corner facing north, or as a separate hall outside the innermost prakaram, either facing the temple or facing north. It has a stage, raised from the rest of the floor, and a backstage area. This is where the Kathakali or Chakkiyar koothu recital takes place. The Kerala temple is a blend of stonework, woodwork, stuccowork and painting – blended into a vibrant structure. The woodwork here is of great importance, and it gives the character. The skeletal framework of the temple is of wood; the base and structure are in granite and laterite. The roof projects out in order to protect the skeletal framework from the strong monsoons that overwhelm the region.The walls are coursed laterite stone masonry plastered in mud and lime. Murals can be seen on several of these walls. Another distinctive feature is the use of vilakku maadam – the multi-tiered brass lamps in front of the temples. Lakshadeepam is celebration of traditional lights where tiers of small oil lamps line the outer walls of the inner prakaram. Kerala`s ancient history is closely related to that of Tamilnadu. It was a part of the Tamil cultural domain, during the rule of the Cheras, up to the 3rd century AD. The cave temples were influenced by those in Tamilnadu. They have used mixed medium of stone, brick, laterite and wood this gives this temple a unique approach laying stress on sanctity, simplicity and a naturalism. DeitiesBhagawati and Sastha are the most popular of the deities enshrined in temples. So is Sankaranarayana – the Hari-Hara manifestation of Shiva and Vishnu. Bhagawati is considered to be Narayani – or the Vishnu-Maya. Sastha is considered to be the son of Hari and Hara. Shiva and Vishnu are worshipped equally. In fact, Anantasaayi, or Vishnu enshrined in a reclining posture, is depicted with a Shiva lingam below his extended right arm, unlike in Tamilnadu. The temple culture of Kerala also stresses the importance of the ancient Indian epics. And is based on Vedic moorings. The ancient practices make one step back in time, into a different world upon entering the temple area – the use of oil lamps instead of electric lamps. The earlier temples were mainly for Shiva and Vishnu or their manifestations (Krishna, Parasurama, Rama, Vamana). Shiva is worshipped in iconic and aniconic linga form. Swayampradhana shrines to Ganesha, Kartikeya are of later origin, and seen in temples of close to Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Inscriptions are in ancient Vattezhuttu script of Tamilnadu. Malayalam inscriptions are seen from the 16th century onwards. Temples have been rebuilt and renovated. The temples by the Saints – Kulasekhara Alwar and Cheramaan Perumaal (one of the Nayanmaars) belonged to the Cheras of the ninth century CE. Chirakkadavu Mahadeva Temple Shiva Temple of Ernakulam & Ettumanoor Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram Ammathiruvadi Temple, Urakam Mahadeva Temple,Chenganoor Sri Paramekkavil Bhagavathi Khetram, Thrissur Ananthanatha Swami Temple Mammiyoor Temple Sri Vailikulagara Bhagavathi Temple,Kakkassery Ananthapura Lake Temple Mangottu Kavu Temple Srivallabha Temple, Thiruvalla Angadickal devi temple,Chenganoor Mannarshala Temple,Haripad,Alapuzha Tali Siva Temple, Kozhikode Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram Midhunappilli Shiva Temple,Thrissur Thali Temple – Kozhikkode Bharanikkavu Devi Temple,Kattanam, Mavelikkara Muthappan temple-Pazhassini Thirumanthamkunnu Temple, Malappuram Brahmeeswaran Temple Poonkunnam Shiva Temple.Thrissur Thirunavaya Temple in Thirunavaya,Malappuram Cherpu Bhagavati(Devi) Temple, Cherpu, Thrissur Rajarajeshwara Temple Thirunelli Temple, Brahmagiri Hill, Wayanad Cherumukku Mahavishnu temple,Cherumukku,Thrissur Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa temple, Sabarimala Thiruvambadi Lord Krishna Temple, Thrissur Chettikulamkara,Alappuzha Sastamkulangara narasimhamurthy temple,Chenganoor Thiruvangad Sreerama Temple,Thalassery Chottanikkra Devi Temple, Kochi Siva Temple, Ernakulam Thrikkavu Temple,Ponnani Devi Temple, Kadampuzha SivaTemple Arakkiladu,Badagara Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple, Changanassery Harippad Subramanya Swamy Temple,Haripad Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Sasthamcotta – Kollam Uthralikkavu Temple, Vadakkanchery, Thrissur Irinjalakuda koodal Manikam temple,Thrissur Sree Guruvayoorappan temple, Guruvayur,Thrissur Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur Kizhe Thrikkovil Temple, Cheruvathery, Thrissur Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Thrippunithura Vethalan kavu Temple,Krishnapuram,Kayamkulam Killikkurussi Mahadeva Temple,Palakkad Sree Valayanad Devi Temple, Govindapuram Bhagawathi Temple ,Chottanikkara Bhagawathi temple, Chengannur Sri Devi Temple, Chettikulangara Viyyoor Shiva Temple, Thrissur 3 of 3 Photo(s) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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