Architecture of Kerala

• Kerala Architecture is one of the most exciting

examples of preservation of vernacular styles.
• The evolution of domestic architecture of
Kerala followed closely the trend of
development in temple architecture.
• The primitive models of circular, square or
rectangular plain shapes with a ribbed roof
evolved from functional consideration.
• The climate of Kerala greatly influenced the
traditional architecture.
• The natural building materials available for
construction in Kerala i.e. stones, timber, clay
and palm leaves have anchored and guided the
acceptance or rejection of outside influences
 Influence of climate
• Kerala has a warm humid climate. The rainfall is
very heavy from south west and north east
monsoons
• To keep the rain and sun away form the walls the
roofs of the building come down very low.
• They have verandah all round the building
protecting the external walls from sun and rain.
• The width of the verandah varies from 2 ft. to 12ft
• In rooms were people spend most of their time
during day the window openings were brought in at
ground level otherwise the windows were small so
that there was only subdued light inside or had
timber jalis to give diffused light without glare.
• They also have an internal courtyard for better flow
of air.
 Roofing system
• The ridged roof pitched at angles between
30degree to 40degree
• The roof with intricately carved gables protruding
from the roof with overhangs supported by wooden
brackets.
• The roof is prefabricated that is different members
are fixed on the ground and assembled at the top.
• No nails are used.
• The roof is kept in position by interlocking with the
hole in the rafters.
• Walls made of timber or earth and roof of coconut
leaves or tiles are common in many parts of Kerala
• Structurally the roof frame was supported on the
pillars on walls erected on a plinth raised from the
ground for protection against dampness and insects
in the tropical climate.
 Flooring systems
• The most common type of flooring was that of beaten earth polished
with cow dung at regular intervals
• Black colored traditional flooring used in the more expensive
buildings was done with the mixture of lime, sand, coconut shell, white
of egg, jaggery, coconut water and other vegetable extracts. The
smoothness was achieved by polishing the floor with a particular
variety of banana.
 Building materials
• The availability of granite -a strong and durable
building stone is restricted mainly to the highlands
and marginally to some hilly zones. Accordingly, the
skill in quarrying, dressing and sculpturing of stone is
scarce in Kerala.
• Laterite stone however, is abundantly found
• Soft laterite available at shallow depth can be easily
cut, dressed and used as building blocks. It is a local
stone that gets stronger and durable with exposure
to the atmosphere.
• Block of this stone may be bonded in mortars of
shell lime, - the classic binding material used in
traditional buildings.
• Lime mortar can be improved in strength and
performance by admixtures of vegetable juices. Such
enriched mortars were utilized for plastering and low
relief work.
 Building materials
• Timber remains the prime structural
material abundantly available in Kerala, in
many varieties - from bamboo to teak and
rosewood. The skilful choice of timber,
artful assembly and delicate carving of
wood work for columns, walls and roofs
frames are the unique characteristics of
Kerala architecture, using accurate fit of
joints.
• Clay was used in many forms - for walling,
in filling the timber floors and making bricks
and tiles after firing in kilns, tempered with
admixtures.
• Palm leaves are still used effectively for
thatching the roofs and for making partition
walls and along with mud
 Vaastu vidya – traditional
architecture
• Traditional Kerala architecture is
the Vaastu vidya is derived from
the Stapatya Veda of Adharva
Veda and deals with two types of
architecture – Residential
Architecture(Manusyalaya) under
functional architecture – Temples
coming under conceptual
architecture.
 Residential architecture
• A house in Kerala is generally called
Veedu. The Veedu gives shelter to
joint-family kinfolk or tharavad. The
joint family system (tharavad--kinship
system) consequently promotes the
tradition of living in a huge shelter or
mansion (veedu--object of house).
• The term is Dravidian and is used in
some parts of Tamil Nadu and North
Sri Lanka for all types of residential
architecture, but generally the people
of Kerala will refer to their veedu as
tharavad. Residential Architecture
 Residential architecture
• There are various terms of house for
different tribes according to social status
and profession. The house of:
• Pariah - CHERI
• The agrestic slave – Cheraman - CHALA.
• Blacksmith, the goldsmith, the carpenter,
the weaver - KUDI
• Temple servants reside – VARIYAM /
PISHARAM
• The ordinary Nayars - VEEDU /
BHAVANAM
• Nayar’s authority - IDAM.
• Raja lives in a KOVILAKKAM / KOTTARAM
 Residential architecture
• There are five types of traditional domestic
architecture or Veedu in Kerala, namely:
• • (1) the wretched humble house, unknown
by any building treatise of Kerala, belongs to
ordinary folks and tribal people/ adivasis
(cheri, chala, kudi, variyam or pisharam or
pumatham);
• (2) the Ekasala, an I-shaped single
rectangular hall house, belongs to farmers or
middle-class non-farmers; (3) the Nalukettu, a
courtyard house, belongs to landlords;
• • (4) the great mansion Ettuketu and
Patinjarukettu (double ettukettu) or much
bigger structures, belong to very rich
landlords;
• • (5) commoner houses are simple ordinary
houses scattered abundantly in the cities and
villages.
• Literally, the local term of house--veedu--
means home and signifies no important
structural arrangement. Classical Indian
architecture acknowledges a concentric
arrangement of buildings and a generic
spatial structure of the sala or hall.
• The Ekasala is a single hall house,

• dvisala a two-hall house, trisala a three-

hall house, and catusala a four-hall
house/courtyard house.
• The Nalukettu is the only local term for
house that implies structural importance
since it is associated with the catusala.
There are no local terms for dvisala, trisala
and ekasala, they are simply called veedu.
• (upper- left) The Ekasala of
North Kerala. Mostly they are
shingle hipped roof houses
(upper-right) The Ekasala of
South Kerala. Mostly they are
shingle bent roof houses
(bottom) The Kuttikettu or
Ekasala with courtyard extension
 Temple architecture
• Temples in Kerala used to be called in
earlier times as mukkalvattom. Later they
came to be called ambalam or kshetram
or sometimes tali.
• • Temple architecture in Kerala is
different from that of other regions in
India. Largely dictated by the geography
of the region that abounds in forests
blessed with the bounties of the
monsoons, the structure of the temples
in Kerala is distinctive.
• • The Kerala temple has srikovil as its
main core, which usually stands in east-
west axis and the plan may be square,
rectangular, circular, elliptical ground plan
• The central sanctum of a Keralite temple is referred
to as the Sree Kovil.
• It is surrounded by a cloistered prakara, pierced at
one or more cardinal points with a gopuradwara.
• The cloistered prakaram has a namaskara
mandapam located directly in front of the sanctum.
This prakaram also houses subsidiary shrines.
• A kitchen is located in the south eastern corner of
ths cloistered prakaram.
• The mukha mandapam is integrated with the
gopura entrance. The flagstaff or dwaja stambham is
located outside of the mukha mandapam .
• The balipitham may be located in the
mukhamandapam or in the outer courtyard. The
outer prakaram or courtyard houses other
subshrines, and optionally a temple tank.
• • The Kuttambalam or the theater hall
of the Keralite temple is located either
as a part of the inner prakara, on the
south east corner facing north, or as a
separate hall outside the innermost
prakaram, either facing into the
temple or facing north. This has a
stage, raised from the rest of the floor,
and a backstage area. This is the site
of the performance of Kathakali or
Chakkiyar koothu recitals. Thus the
kuttambalam plays a role in educating
visitors on the rich legends of the
Indian cultural fabric.
• • The roofs are steep and pointed,
and covered with copper sheets. The
Kerala roof resembles those found in
the Himalayan regions and those in
East Asia. • The shape of the roof is in
accordance with the plan of the
sanctum below. With a circular plan,
one sees a conical roof, while with a
square plan the roof is pyramidal. •
The roof is constructed with wood and
is covered with copper plates. Most of
the temples seen in Kerala today, have
undergone several phases of
renovation, given the perishable
nature of the construction materials.
• • The superstructure as a
conspicuous example, shows an
accurate usage of indigenous raw
materials like timber and tiles to go
with the climate conditions.
• Vast majority of temples have
their bases built of granite, the
walls made either of wood, bricks
and stucco, or laterite; the sloping
superstructure made of wooden
planks, tiles or sheet metal on
timber frames, are adopted to suit
the high rainfall of the region.
• Temple and Domestic Architecture
• Unlike the other architectural traditions in
the mainland the design of Kerala temples
shows a close similarity with the domestic
architecture of the region.
• The surviving Nair houses have many
structural elements like raised foundations,
wall and ceiling carvings, steeply sloping
roofs, etc., that are reminiscent of temple
architecture.
• The building materials used in the sacred
and domestic architecture, viz., timber,
laterite, brick and stucco are also the same,
and thus create identical textural surfaces.