The twain does meet in culture of Kerala
By Mohan Maitray

DUE to its peculiar geographical position, Kerala’s history symbolises assimilation of traditions and new values. Even in earlier times Kerala was the meeting point of all Indian religions, philosophical thoughts and world religions.

A. Sreedhara Menon sums up the religious practices of people of ancient Kerala: "Their religion was a strange mixture of animism, totemism and spirit worship. The people made offerings to a number of local deities. The war goddess Kottavi was a popular deity. The people performed a variety of primitive rituals and practices. Feeding the cow was a daily practice. Tree worship and ancestor worship were common. Caste or communal barriers did not exist in any rigid form". Consequently, the Dravidian way of life underwent many changes with the emergence of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. The ecletic outlook of the people of Kerala helped the new religions to prosper in an atmosphere of goodwill.

Ilango Adikal, the author of Silappathikaram is said to be a Jain prince living at Matilakam, a reputed centre of Jainism which had a well-known Jain shrine which presided over the Jain temples in the vicinity. Tiruchanattumalai, now a part of district Kanyakumari was also a famous centre of Jainism, Jainism also flourished in areas of Kallil, Alathur, Sultan’s Battery and Bangra Manjeshwar. The decline of Jainism started in Kerala about the 8th century A.D. and the process was complete by 16th century. Wynad and Kasargod areas of North Malabar and commercial towns of Alleppey and Cochin still have many Jain shrines.

Buddhism is believed to have been preached in Kerala in the 3rd century B.C. The Vadakkunnathan temple, Trichur and the Shiva temple at Madavurpara are supposed to have been Buddhist shrines earlier. The districts of Alleppey and Quilon were under Buddhist influence.

With the ascendancy of Namboodris in the public life of Kerala, Buddhism began to decline about the 8th century A.D. However, the declining Buddhist thought handed over its rich cultural legacy to incoming Hinduism in the shape of popular rituals and modes of worship.

The decline of Jainism and Buddhism paved the way for the spread of Hinduism. Beginning with the 5th centuryA.D. Hindu reform movement, Hinduism grew stronger in Kerala in the 8th Century A.D. Prabhakara, set up a school for propagation of vedic studies. Born in Kaladi, Shankaracharya, a Namboodri Brahmin became a celebrated Hindu religious teacher. He propounded the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta which dwelt on the oneness of individual soul with Brahmin or the cosmic soul. Cultural synthesis and reconciliation, two important faces of the culture of Kerala, found expression in the teachings of Shankaracharya.

Christianity, introduced in Kerala in the first century A.D. by St. Thomas, also had substantial following among the people.

Kerala’s contribution to religious and secular architecture is significant. The Tantrasamuchaya, Vastuvidya, Manushyalaya Chandrika and Silapratna are some acknowledged works on architecture.

‘Manushyalaya Chandrika’ deals with domestic architecture. A house in Kerala traditional style is a quadrangular structure called Nalukettu, raised strictly in accordance with the principles enshrined in ‘Tachu Sastra’ (science of architecture). Located in a self-contained compound, this structure consisted of four blocks constructed in four directions with the help of laterite plastered with lime. Roofs were tiled or covered with leaves of the palmyrah or coconut trees. The woodwork of the structure was solid and beautifully carved. Old palaces in Kerala were constructed in this domestic style.

The notable palaces of this kind had been Padmanbhapuram palace (Mattancheri) and Krishnapuram palace near Kayamkulam. Now the domestic architecture has undergone numerous changes both in style and design because houses are for a single family. The concrete brick structure has replaced traditional construction set in mud or lime.

The temple architecture in Kerala has emerged through a long process of evolution. Rock-cut temples, said to be of the period prior to 800 A.D., have been classified under two groups, the southern and the northern group. Rock-cut temples of Vizhinjam, Madavurpara, Kottukal and Kaviyur fall under the southern group, whereas the northern group comprises of temples at Trikkur, Irunilacode and Bhrandanpara. Architectural pattern of these temples is of the shaivite order. While the southern group is of Pandya origin, the northern group relates to Pallava origin, Rock-cut temple of Kallil near Perumbavur, formerly a Jain shrine, is a Bhagavathi temple at present.

In Kerala, a distinctive pattern of temple architecture evolved in different regions of the state. Temples have been built in square, rectangular, circular, apsidal and elliptical ground plans. The southern half of the state has a dominance of circular shrines, a special feature of Kerala temple architecture. Apsidal temples are frequent in central Kerala. Rectangular and elliptical ground plans are rare. The Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple Thiruvanan-thapuram is of rectangular style. Generally, the temple walls are made of lateriate blocks. In some temples granite, with the exception of the Super structure has been commonly used. Many temples have wooden walls with carvings of Puranic stories. Sloping roofs and lavish use of wood are also distinct features of Kerala temples.

The temple architecture of Kerala also influenced the architecture of churches and mosques to a certain extent. It was on account of this similarity that Vasco-de-Gama is said to have entered a Kali temple at Calicut because he mistook it for a Christian church. The temple plan earlier, adopted in church architecture, comprised a sanctuary with four sides alongwith a large hall supported by the pillars, in the front. The church tower resembled the Sikhara of the garbhagriha in the temple. Innovations provided by the Portuguese in church construction are reflected in the St. Francis church at Cochin. In construction of mosques the outer walls built on a basement resemble the distinctive style of temple architecture. Wood has been profusely used in church and mosque architecture of Kerala just as it is in temples.