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Home > Temples of Kerala > Principal bali peetha or Valia Balikkal Principal bali peetha or Valia BalikkalThe principal bali-peetha or valia-balikkall is at the front of the main entrance of the deity, either situated within the agra-mandapa or outside the agramandapa. The position of the valia-balikkall is at a distance of 2 ½ , 3, 3 ½ 2, 5, 6 or 7 dands (utthara dand of the praasaada) from the centre ofthe sreekovil. In most cases it is built at the centre of the balikkalpura or depending on the distance from the sreekovil. Its shape is a replica of the adhishtaana of the sreekovil upto the point of peetha of the deity. The mouldings of the valia-balikkall are paduka,jagathi, kumuda, kumuda-pati, kantha, gala, gala-pati, vedika, gala (which is similar to the wall and ghana-dwaara of the sreekovil) utthara, valaru, kapotha (with naasika at the corners), kapotha-patta and above all an inverted padma. As the very name indicates bali-peetha is a platform for offerings to the deities. Generally the height of the principal bali-peetha is equal to the adhishtaana or the peetha of the principal deity in the sreekovil. Exceptions are also seen wherein the height of the principal bali-peetha is proportionate to the height of the adhishtaana. Seven-tenth of its height is taken as its width. Structurally there are two principal types of bali-peethas viz. 27 -part and 32-part, as follows:
It is also noticed that small bali-peethas of ashta-dik-paalakas are installed around the valia-balikkall. Bali-peetha is made up of granite or good laterite stone, and its size and shape varies. It is also seen that the bali-peethas are covered with brass sheets. Diagram 16 gives some common types of principal bali-peethas found in Kerala.
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