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Home > Temples of Kerala > Selection of Temple Site Selection of Temple SiteAll texts on Indian architecture insist on the greatest attention required for the selection of site of the House of God, as the temples are centres of India’s cultural and spiritual life. It is prescribed in sacred texts that the temple should be built on the banks of a theerthha (place of pilgrimage), river, lake, seashore, on a hill top of mountain slope; in a forest, grove or garden; midst of a village, town or city or in any other lovely place. The availability of water exclusively for temple rites is a must. The very concept of a temple or kshethra is moksha the final liberation. The ultimate aim adds to the importance and suitable of site. According to Thanthra Samuchaya, a land is classified into three types based on flora, terrain, texture of soil, slope etc., i.e. utthama(best or virtuous), madhyama(ordinary) and adhama(lowest). The characteristics of the land are that it should have a ground level with trees, fruit groves, flowery plants, cows and people and with a slope towards east. A place where a river flows in clock-wise direction is considered ideal. The fitness of the soil is also important and is tested in several ways ‘A pit is dug and the earth which has been taken out is put back again. In a descending order of quality, it then either exceeds the pit quality, is level with it or lower; or water is poured into the pit over night: the quality of the soil is judged according to quantity of the water found there in the morning; or a flame put into the pit burns or else is extinguished, in the letter instance the soil is unsuitable, and has to be abandoned. These and other practical tests are described in the Brahath-Samhitha and elsewhere, they are performed after the sound, smell, shape or the consistency and colour have been examined; finally, the fertility of the soil must be tested. The Mathsya Purana prescribes according to the colour of the soil, white earth for Brahmins, red for Kshathriyas, yellow for Vaisyas, black for Sudras. The castes and earth correspond magically to the colours. Then comes an examination of the flavour of the earth, whether sweet , pungent, bitter, astringent and its suitability is determined in the same hierarchy. When the suitable land is acquired and the ground is ploughed, seeds are sown and the quality of soil is tested according to their generation in 3,5 or 7 nights etc. and according to the size of the young plants. All this is done to assure oneself of the fitness, and ritual purity of the soil*. Another conditions is the availability of plenty of water during summer and a pleasant climate through the year. If all the above conditions of the ground are favourable such a land is considerable the ‘best or virtuous’ (utthama). Its opposite is the lowest (adhama) and in between, ordinary (madhyama). It has also been specified in Thantra Samuchaya (1.21) that a ground which is in the form of a circle, crescent like semicircle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon resembling trident or winnowing basket or like the back of fish and elephant or pig or face of a cow is unsuitable for building temple. Similarly, if the ground is ploughed repeatedly and if article like ashes, bones, hair, worms etc. are found then it denotes a grave yard. If it has ant hills, decayed woods, charcoals, subterranean pits, cavities, bad odour, dip at the center or angled, then such land is also to be discarded being unsuitable for installation of idols. It will be seen that the tests applied are those of ;
“Other tests are also prescribed which it would be tedious to detail. But a universal maxim of selection mentioned by Varaha Mihira is: ‘And that (site) too is auspicious ( to the builder) whose heart delights therein’ a test which the most enlightened of moderns or the most captious of critics cannot demur to** . Every ground selected for a temple is classified into four types*** based on futurity value viz supadma, bhadra, porna and dhoomra. Those who worship the idols installed in these four type will get different results viz supadma –release from all sins, peace and tranquility of mind; bhadra- happiness; poorna- wealth of all kinds dhoomra- sorrow. Therefore in constructing temples dhoomra type lands are discarded. Of late, selection of site has become of matter of convenience and seldom are these principles rigidly followed. * The Hindu Temple, Stella Kramrisch, Volume I, published by Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi,p.14 ** The History of Kerala K.P.Padmanabha Menon, Vol IV, p.24. *** SUPADMA: The land which slopes towards east and north and having trees, plants, grass like Karppura (camphora tree), akil (white cedar), Thengu (coconut tree), mailellu(Vetex altissima- Trade name is Milla), Dharba or kusa grass, Kadamba (Kadam tree), marutha (Jarnl tree), Kavungu (arecanut tree), Chandanam (sandal wood tree)Karimbu (sugarcane) Kaitha (Pandanus), Mulla(jasmine twines), thamara (lotus), koovalam(Bilwa tree), Karinkoovalam,water lilly (chiefly aambal) etc. BHADRA: The site with paddy fields on the west and having milky trees like atthi(Ficus glomerata), Itthi(Ficas gibbosa), Arayaal (sacred fig) and Peraal (Banyan),Plavu(Jack tree), and other trees and plants with plenty of fruits and flowers. POORNA: The land on the top or slope of a hill with less water content and having Ithi, Peraal, Veppu (Neem tree),Maruthu ,Ilanji(Bakula, Mirnusops elenji),Muthira (horse gram), Venga (Pterocarpurs marsupium, Bijasal) Raktha cahandanam (peterocarpus santtalinus, Red sanders) Asokam (Saraca asoka), Thuvara (red gram),Ankolam(Alangium hexa petalum), Mulla, (Jasmin sambac) Chembakom(bot.Michelia chempaca),Ell(Gingelly),Karingali(Acacia Churdra) and Voraku (a grass, panicum). DHOOMRA: The land is rocky with excessive gravel and also with cavity and salinity and having Erikku(Calotropis gigantean) Kallippala (Euphorbia nerifolia), Naruvari(bot Cardia myxa)
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