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Home > Temples of Kerala > Roof RoofThe roof of the sreekovil is constructed in different ways. Some of the smaller temples have granite roofings, apart from the rock-cut (cave) temples, seen in some places in the State. The constituent parts of the roof are utthara, thattu, thuravu and sthoopika. Utthara is the principal beam. It is either made up of granite stone or wood. There are three types of principal beams viz. khandotthara, pathrotthara and roopotthara. If the length, breadth and thickness of the principal beam are equal to the breadth of the pillars, it is known as khandothara and it is considered the best. Pathrotthara falls under middle type and has thickness which is three-fourth of the khandotthara. Roopotthara is slightly different having thickness equal to half the breadth of khandotthara and is the last type. Thus the difference among them is in regard to thickness. As the thickness of roopotthara is less than its breadth it can be placed in the reverse position which is called choolee. The omamentation of roopotthara is known as vaajana dwi-vaajanas. In the first case if the total thickness is divided into five then 2 /5 of the thickness is set apart for vaajana while for dwi-vaajana the thickness is divided into six parts of which 1/6 is set apart for alpa-vaajana and 2/6 for maha-vaajana. Over the vaajanotthara is the thulas (cross beams), its height being one dand and breadth 3/4 of.a dand.. Above the thulas is the jayanthi, which is fixed cross-wise to thulas. To have an even surface for the beams of the ceiling the inter-space (anu-maargga) is determined and planks of suitable thickness are completely covered up leaving no space. In the case of copper roofings copper sheets are fixed over the wooden ceiling. The sthoopika or thaazhikakkutam is the top-most part of a vimaana and its height is one-eighth or twice the breadth of alpa-praasaada (alpa-vimaaaa).The height of rectangular alpa-vimaana upto the tip of the sthoopika or thaazhikakkutam is taken as twice the breadth of the vimaana. This height comprises adhishtaana (basement 1/8; sthamba (pillar or column) 2/8 prasthara (entablature) 1/8, gala (neck) 1/8, sikhara (head) 2/8 and sthoopika (finial): 1/8. Prasthara is again sub-divided into 21 or 19 parts as follows:
Sikhara corresponds to roof of the edifice and it determines the style of the architecture. The material for construction of sikhara differs, depending on the meteorological onditions, as the sikhara has to face the furious moods of nature. Sthoopa is the final element of sreekovil. In its full-blown form sthoopika is not a mere pot, but an architectural element composed of various parts which from bottom upwards are (i) eight petalled lotus or maha-padma (2) kumbha or pot, (3) naala or lotus stalk and (4) kuta-maala or lotus bud. In case of dwi-thala sreekovil, sambara-pati is placed over the inner wall of required height. Rafters are then fixed. Levelling planks are laid over the sambara-pati. Gala is built over it based on the height of the pillar (ie. height from the base to vaarotthara). If this height is 'h' then the height of gala for dwi-thala are in 9-ways. ie. 2h/3, 3h/4, 3h/5, 3h/6, 5h/7, 7h/8, 5h/9, 8h/ 10 and 9h/ 11. In case of thri-thala sreekovil the height of gala is in relation to the height of the column of the dwi-thala. If the height of the dwi-thala is h1, then the height of the gala of thri-thala are also in nine-ways ie, 2h1/3, 3h1/4, 3h1/5, 3h1/6, 5h1/7, 7h1/8, 5h1/9, 8h1/ 10 and 9h1/ 11. In every thala it is essential to have the prasthara. The gala must have also decorations, for which the top portion measuring 3 dands has to be left for making pattam (2/ 10), Kapotha (6/ 10) and mele-pattam (2/ 10). In the greeva (gala) having 3 dands at the top divide the remainder into four divisions.
Other type of decorations in dwi-thala vimaana are (1) four kootams at four corners, (2) four saalas on the four sides (3) eight pairs or sixteen deities in naasikas in between saala and kootam and on sikhara and (4) deities in stone or wood at the four quarters in the nibhandhana viz., Brahma at east, Siva or Dakshinamoortthi at south,Naramsimhamoortthi at west, Sree Krishna or Skanda at north.
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