The monograph Temples of Kerala which was published earlier covered the general aspects on temples in Kerala like history of temples over the last two thousand years, mode of worship, architectural features, carvings and paintings, iconography of idols, deva-prasnam, (Astrological prediction relating to temples) rites, priesthood, offerings, temple customs, administration, ritualistic and performing arts etc. This volume, the seventh in the series of district monographs, is an addendum to the monograph Temples of Kerala and it attempts to cover an account of the temples of Trssoor district.
The background of taking up this exhaustive study needs little elaboration. The Census Organization of India undertook a study on Temples of Madras State as an ancillary study of the 1961 census. This study evoked keen interest among scholars, the government and statutory bodies of Kerala. Late Sree R. Vasudeva Poduval a renowned archaeologist, requested the Registrar General, India (Late Sree A. Chandrasekhar) as early as 1969 to launch a study on temples of Kerala similar to the one that was conducted in Madras state and the latter readily agreed to this suggestion. But the study could not be taken up due to heavy pressure of work in connection with the 1971 census. In 1973, the Travancore Devaswam Board also came up with a similar request but the backlog of census work of 1971 census stood in the way in launching the study. In 1979 the Advisor to the Government of Kerala on Temples and Traditional Arts again requested the Director of Census Operations to commence the study. But again some unforeseen circumstances prevented the organization from taking up the study. However, in May 1990, the Government of Kerala again requested the Census Directorate to take up a detailed survey on temples of Kerala and The Registrar General (Sree A.R. Nanda I.A.S) directed to commence the survey in June 1991.
Temples built in different historical time reflect the spirit and idioms of the people and their way of life as existed then. The splendor of architectural designs of temples are embodiments of the aesthetic taste of the people and society. The cultural heritage reflected in temple designs in different parts of India has evoked interest and has attracted tourists from far and wide. There are wide regional variations in structural design and layout of temples. Temples of South India are different from that of north in both the architectural and technological contents. Apart from the external architecture, internal organization of temples such as placement of deities, rites and rituals, vary widely from place to place within the country. |
