Historical Evolution of Temple Tradition in Travancore
Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 Historical Evolution of Temple Tradition in Travancore. Dr. P.Justin Paul, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Govt. Arts College (Autonomous), Kumbakonam. Abstract: Basically, temple architecture tradition of Travancore comes within the mainstream of Indian temple building tradition. Though, in the detailed articulation of its formal structure Travancore temple follows its own indigenous methods, the basic conceptions are not something different or extraneous from the total cultural developments of the mainland. It has been rightly observed that, “the temple as an institution, was an Aryan gift to the South India and that the so called Travancore school is responsible only for covering the product of the Dravidian tradition. The cultural heritage of any country is seen best exposed in its architectural monuments. The ways in which the buildings are designed, constructed and decorated speak not only the technical and artistic capabilities of the craftmen, but also of the aspirations and visions of the preceptors, for whom the construction is only a medium for thematic expression. Travancore abounds with many such architectural monuments; prehistoric megaliths, tombs, caves, temples, mosques, churches, theatres, houses, palaces and public buildings, built and renovated over centuries representing a panaroma of architectural developments. Volume XII, Issue V, 2020 Page No: 735 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 Key words: Mukkalvattom, Tali, Architecture, Superstructures, Courtyard, Ardhamandapam. Temples in Travancore used to be called in earlier times as mukkalvattom. Later they came to be called ambalam or kshetram or sometimes tali. The Travancore temple has srikovil as its main core, which usually stands in east-west axis and the plan may be square, rectangular, circular, elliptical or apsidal growth plan.
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