Southern States - Kerala   

Arankavu Temple in ruins

By K.S. Sudhi

KOCHI OCT. 18. The Arankavu Temple at Chendamangalam, believed to have been built by the Chera kings, is in ruins.

The temple has withstood rain and shine for at least a few centuries now. But, time has taken its toll. Cracks that run down to the basement on the eastern side of the circular wall of the temple give an indication of its structural health.

The weathered wooden beams that form part of the roofing of the temple are likely to crumble at anytime and might bring down the royal legacy. Termite attack on the wooden structures has also weakened the conical roofing.

Chendamangalam is believed to have been the seat of the Chera kings who ruled the area during the fifth century. It was the Chera kings who also built the fort at Kottayil Kovilakam.

The Arankavu Temple, which has a place in the history, is located in an area where the remnants of the bygone years are still alive in some form or other.

One of the palaces of an erstwhile king, which was believed to be located at a plot adjacent to the temple, was demolished by its present occupant. However, the name Kottaram is retained. During the early days, there was also a direct entry from the palace to the temple, say old timers.

The centuries old-temple stands out with its unique architectural style and deities. The deity of the temple is housed in a square granite structure which is the sanctum sanctorum. It is surrounded by a circular structure which forms the outer wall. In between the sanctum sanctorum and the circular structure, there is enough space left in the form of a circular corridor.

This, according to temple architecture experts, is akin to that of Vadakkunathan, Koodalmanikyam and Eattumanur Mahadeva Temples. Many historians are of the view that these temples reflect Jain or Buddhist influence in their style and architecture.

The deity is in the form of seated Lord Sastha flanked by his wife and a child. This has similarity to the deity of Narayan Kannur Temple at Ramanthaly, Kannur, that dates back to the 8th century. This resemblance adds strength to the theory that Arankavu Temple might be as old as the Ramanthaly temple. However, no archaeological evidence is available for proving this view.

Though historians and conservationists are yet to ascertain the exact age of the temple and its link to the ancient history of the land, many believe that the Adi Chera Kings introduced the concept of the deity Subrahmanyan in Kerala.

The temple renovation committee has been advised by the temple architecture specialists to do a complete reconstruction of the temple at a cost of Rs. 25 lakhs. However, conservationists who visited the temple recently had suggested that the temple need not be demolished and structural conservation steps could be initiated so as to protect the original structure.

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