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.

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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. Compared to the other temple styles in the mainland like dravida, nagara and vasara, Travancore Temple tradition has distinct characteristics especially in their formal structure. The architectural style of Travancore temple has an inherant simplicity which becomes very conspicuous when juxtaposed to the exumberance of the nagara, vasara and dravida temple styles. In explaining this, influence of the natural environment upon the temple form has to be recognized along with the socio-historical developments. The environmental space which envelops the architecture has a major role in the articulation of architectural form.

This interdependence or the reciprocal relationship between environment and architecture can be further noticed in the construction of superstructures in Travancore temples. The two monsoons a year, and the moisture of Travancore weather has a direct bearing on the use of sloping roofs and the selection of raw materials by which the superstructure is being constructed. The superstructure shows an accurate usage of indigenous raw materials like timber and tiles to go with the climatic conditions. Majority of temple have their bases built of granite, the walls made either of wood, bricks and stucco or lateriate. The sloping structures made of wooden planks, tiles or sheet metal on timber frames are adopted to suit the high rainfall.

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A truly indigenous contribution to the mainstream of Indian architecture tradition is the circular temples. The ponderous appeal of the sloping conical structure above the circular basement and wall is a clear testimony of the local idiom. Further the edge of the superstructure comes down to join the socle in hugging the earth. In the case of rectangular or square based temples the four sided pyramidal roof is favoured. Most similarity between the two is in the presence of inner courtyard that is open to the sky. The courtyard in both the cases is depressed slightly, but in the case of temple design it encloses the srikovil and provides space for the presence of a pedestal to grow the sacred tulasi plant. Functionally the space thus constructed within the architect provides the interior with proper air and light.

Moreover the inscriptions in Travancore temples are often restricted only to the plinth of the temples. This is so because the very format of the temples using laterite, stucco and timber prevent epigraph from being engraved on the body of the temple. Thus, absence of any clear cut date of the subsequent renovations largely diminish their use as historiographic material, however, quite a few early records engraved on the temple mouldings can be cited. Inscriptional evidences of the nineth-tenth centuries, clearly informs the beginning of temple building in Travancore. The cave temples of seventh-eighth centuries in Travancore had granite medium imbibe direct inspiration from Tamil country especially the pandyas of Madurai through the passes in the Western Ghats which link Travancore with Tamil plains. When viewing the Travancore tradition of rock-cut architecture in the wider context of the mainland, in comparison to the rock- cut architecture of Mahabalipuram, Ellora of Elephanta, it is seen that the quantum of its contribution is minimal.

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Travancore cave temples, of which ten exist, are distributed accordingly in three groups. The southern most group consists of those at Tirunandikara, Vizhinjam, Tuvarankad and Bhutapandi. The central group consists of the temples at Kaviyur, Kottukal and Airurpara. The northern group from those at Irunilamcode, Trikkur and Bharatanpara. All the cave temples in the Southern group are examples of one called shrines, mostly enshirining a lingam. The best example of this group is the niche cave at Vizhinjam, the capital of Ay rulers, a sea port and the scene of battles between the Pandyas and Ay Kings. This cave has unfinished reliefs of Siva Kirata Murti and Siva dancing with Parvati.

From the central group, the one of Kaviyur is a well finished examples, the reliefs of which shows a mature plastic tradition. This saivite cave comprises of a shrine with linga, an ardhamandapam and a pillared facade, all arranged axially facing the west. Walls of this spacious ardhamandapam contain reliefs of the donor or chieftain, a bearded rishi, a seated four armed Ganesha and the dwarapalas. The style of these sculptures clearly shows an indubitable Pandyan influence. The majority of the cave temples of both southern and central Travancore are inspired by the saivite movement like those of the Pandyan country. But there is at least one cave dedicated to vishnu at Azhagiapandipuram of Kanyakumari district.

Savism dominated the northern group as well. The most important and the largest of the northern group is the one at Trikkur. Its outstanding features are its detachable lingam on a monolithic square pitha. Ganesa sculpture in the northwest cellar wall shows familiarity of the artist with the Pandyan usages, and – thus making the cave shrine ascribably to the early eighth century. Unlike in other parts of the country, the origin of rock-cut architectural tradition and that of the structural temple tradition are more or less coevel in Kerala. Even from the very early stage, that is from eighth

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century, got evidences of not only square and rectangular temples, but also circular, apsidal and rarely elliptical temples. Outside Travancore, however very few circular temples are known to exist. The original source of the circular temple in Travancore is still a controversial issue among scholars. A number of Scholars, like Sirkar holds the view of the Budhist origin of the circular plan. He provides the evidence that the southern part of Travancore where Budhism hod a strong hold shows comparatively large number of circular temples. The temples with apsidal ground plan of some of the Travancore temples, however can easily be associated in their structural similarity, with the Budhist chaitya halls found elsewhere in the mainland. The origin of such structures could be ascribed to the Budhist influence.

Conclusion:

Before going into the actual architectural phases, it is necessary to keep in mind that Dravida and indigenous Travancore types of architecture co-existed and had simultaneous development in the same land from the eighth century. The Dravida school of architecture shows a concentration in the Southern part of the state which from the very period was under consistent Tamil influence. In the Travancore, on the other hand, a building tradition existed truly at home.

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References:

1. Cherian. P.J., Cultural Formation of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 1999, P. 302. 2. Bernier., Temple Arts of Kerala, New Delhi, 1982. P.25. 3. Henri Focillon., The Life of Forms in Art, 1936. P.72. 4. Stella Kamrisch., Arts and crafts of Kerala, 1970, P.28. 5. Soundara Rajan K.V., Temple Architecture in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 1974, P.25. 6. Percy Brown, Indian Architecture, Bombay, 1965. 7. Sreedhara Menon. A., Cultural Heritage of Kerala, Madras, 1996, P.153. 8. Joseph Vazhuthanapally., Archeology of Marsliba, kottayam, OIRSI Publications, 1990, P.102. 9. Arnold Houser., The Social History of Art, Vol.I, London RKP, 1962, P.111. 10. Janson, H.W., A History of Art, London, Thamos and Hudson, 1962, P.196. 11. Guslian Huxley., Art and Architecture, London : Humlyn, 1970, P.18.

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