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The southernmost state of Kerala has so much to offer in terms of it temple tradition.
The temples are a delight to the visitors' sensory faculties. The richness of
their architectural wealth captivates the perceptions of the traveler, apart from
providing them with an affluence of scholarly entropy.
The structural design of the temples of Kerala is unique, bringing about harmony
between the natural resources as well as the climatic conditions of the region.
Elephants are an integral part of temple construction. A colorful agenda of
festivities and exacting protocols are associated with the scores and scores
of temples that speckle the cultural as well as the physical landscape of Kerala.
Architecture of the temples of Kerala is largely dictated by the geography
of the region. Kerala is blessed with vast stretches of woodland and bounteous
monsoons, which contribute to the distinctive structure of the temples. The
roofs of the temples are steep and keen, covered with copper sheets. The Kerala
roofs are identical to those of the Himalayan region and those in East Asia.
The shape of the crown of the temples of Kerala accords with the chart of the
sanctorum sanctum below. Primarily globular, the crest is cone-shaped. They
are also sometimes pyramidal, but then, the temple has a square-shaped structure.
The roof is constructed with wood and it is covered with copper plates. Most
of the temples in Kerala have undergone phases of renovation. Temples have held
an important place in the life of the Keralites and continues doing so to capture
the marvel called "God's own Country".
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