This three story temple temple belonging to 10-11 century CE as per temple record -Vattezhuthu, has a typical Kerala style architecture with main tower and a sloping tiled roof, gable, two enclosures and an impressive entrance tower. This temple is an epitome of amazing wooden sculptures of grandeur and beauty
What is special about this temple is the presence of wooden bracket images of gods of various manifestations. The introduction of wooden bracket figures is a an ingenious way of embellishing the wooden structures and here you find beautifully carved early wooden figures supporting the wooden structure in the ceiling. There are as many as 25 carefully carved wooden brackets of images mostly Hindu deities and sub deities carefully set at selective places close the sloping roof, besides there are lathed -turned wooden pillars supporting the wooden roof frame
In terms of artistic work, design and workmanship nothing is comparable to them, hence they stand apart. The exquisitely, inspiring carved wooden bracket figures throw light on the extremely talented and skilled carpenters of the past er of this place. In the case of dancing figures depicting striking pose, the flexible bends of the body when displaying movements are well frozen in the wooden figures. None will fail to take a second look at the display of the carved image of 10-headed Ravana and his chariot (pushpaka Vimana).
![]() |
Kadavallur temple,amazing woodwork on the ceiling twitter.com. |
![]() |
Kadavallur temple, wooden bracket.threadreaderapp.com |
![]() |
threadreaderapp.com |
Above image: Kadavallur Sree Rama temple, Kerala. Wooden bracket supporting the wooden beam on the ceiling. Woman from an unknown community.
![]() |
threadreaderapp.com |
Above image: Kadavallur Sree Rama temple, Kerala. Rare wooden image of Lanka demon king Ravana on his Pushpa vimana
![]() |
Kadavallur Sree Rama temple, Kerala wikidata.org |
![]() |
Wooden bracket image, Kadavallur Sree Rama temple, Keralawikidata.org |
Above images: Kadavallur Sree Rama temple of Thrissur district, Kerala. Intricately carved wooden bracket showing woman on intense meditation doing tpas on one leg. Note the boar and Shiv Linga.........
.Sree Rama temple,thehindu.com |
The main shrine is encircled by a tiled enclosure with an an impressive entrance having two wings. Koothambalam, a dancing space and an integral part of some important temple is on the south side with provision for the audience on the other side. A huge pot-drum (Kuda-mizha) on a wooden pedestal in the back part. It is symbolic of Nandikesvara, as per dance and Agamas Sastras. the player being Nandi obediently learning the intricacies of dance from God Shiva. Also present is the figure of Hanuman and according to the Ramayana he is manifestation of Nandikesvara, the guard at the entrance to Kailasa, the abode of God Shiva. It is mentioned that at a few Shiva cave temples of Kerala, the God Hanuman is depicted as the Dwarapala - sentinel is seen carved in some Shiva caves. Example: Kottukkal This is unheard of in the Tamil Nadu temples.
The temple like many Kerala Hindu temples has a comfortable space for dancers and other artists on the temple premises. Like many Koothambalam, this one comes alive on the day of festivitie. especially on the auspicious day of Shivaratri. On this auspicious day traditional dancers Chakkiyars display their dancing skill in full flow, to the astonishment of the audience making the them spell-binding .
This temple is equally famous for What is called '' kadavallur Anyonyam.” - recitation and exposition of the depth of knowledge of the Vedas. This native tradition is more than 3000 years old in which Rig Vedic scholars participate in the chanting of Veda.Some image Credits: /threadreaderapp.com
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1264440990443569153.html
https://www.navrangindia.in/2023/12/kadavallur-sree-rama-temple-kerala-and.html