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Home > Temples of Kerala > Sopaana SopaanaThe approach from the anthar-mandala to the sreekovil is through sopaana. It is built at the front of sreekovil from the ground level to the front door step or toe of the phalaka (stones slab) of the mukha-mandapa of the sreekovil. The length of the sopaana from lower sill of front door upto ground level is 1 ½ dand-(i.e 6 koles) or 2 dand (8 koles) and must have even number of flight-steps. Sopaana is of two types (i) those having direct flight of steps with balustrades on either side or (ii) those having lateral flight of steps meeting at a common landing at the top of the steps. These steps have banisters on either side in the shape of hasthi-hastha (elephant's trunk) or makara- simha (lion's head with long rolled tongues). Usually they are plain or having flowers at the sides. These banisters may be on the front in the case of lateral steps with the difference that the hasthi-hastha and makara-simha face opposite directions. Sometimes the sides of direct steps and front of lateral steps may have carvings of images of gods or dancing scenes or motifs of pushpa (flower) or thorana or poorna-kumbha or simple phalakas (stone slabs) devoid of any ornamentation. The sopaanas are generally made up of granite. In temples of South Kerala sopaanas generally have carvings. Even the inner shrine (garbha-grha) may have flight of steps with or without banisters. In the shrines located in Vatakkunaathhan temple complex (Thrissur) there are sopaanas of both types (Siva shrine with lateral steps while Sankaranarayana and Sree Rama shrines having direct steps). The sketches of sopaana are given in Diagram 11.
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