Kerala has a great history of temple architecture. They are unique, and accord with the natural and climatic conditions of the state. A calendar full of festivals and strict worshipping rules mark the life in these temples.

The history of Kerala dates back to the Cheras dynasty of the third century BC. The temples have been mentioned in the works of Tamil Alwar Saints and the Nayanmar Saints. Kulasekhara Alwar and Cheraman Perumaal (one of the Nayanmaars) belonged to the Cheras of the 9th century AD. Many other works were written on temple architecture during the 15th and the 16th centuries. The Maharajas of Travancore were ardent patrons of temples.

Several temples trace their origins to antiquity. They have been renovated and enormous changes have been made since their inception.

General Architecture
Temple architecture in Kerala is different. Largely dictated by geography for kerala is bound with forests, and monsoons, which has led the roofs to be steep and pointed, and covered with copper sheets. The shape of the roof is according to the sanctum below. A circular plan has a conical roof, while a square plan has a pyramidal roof. The roof is constructed in wood and then covered with copper plates. Most of the temples have undergone renovation, due to the nature of the construction materials.

The central sanctum is referred to as the Sree Kovil and is surrounded by a cloistered prakaram having one or more gopuradwara-doors. The cloistered prakaram has a namaskara mandapam located directly in front of the sanctum. The prakaram houses many smaller shrines. A kitchen is located in the southeastern corner here.

The mukha mandapam is integrated with the gopura entrance- main entrance. The flagstaff -dwaja stambham is located in the outer courtyard. The balipitham is also located close to the dwaja stambham. It also houses other shrines, and a temple tank. The Kuttambalam - theater hall is in the inner prakaram, on the southeast corner facing north, or as a separate hall outside the innermost prakaram, either facing the temple or facing north. It has a stage, raised from the rest of the floor, and a backstage area. This is where the Kathakali or Chakkiyar koothu recital takes place.

The Kerala temple is a blend of stonework, woodwork, stuccowork and painting - blended into a vibrant structure. The woodwork here is of great importance, and it gives the character. The skeletal framework of the temple is of wood; the base and structure are in granite and laterite. The roof projects out in order to protect the skeletal framework from the strong monsoons that overwhelm the region.The walls are coursed laterite stone masonry plastered in mud and lime. Murals can be seen on several of these walls. Another distinctive feature is the use of vilakku maadam - the multi-tiered brass lamps in front of the temples. Lakshadeepam is celebration of traditional lights where tiers of small oil lamps line the outer walls of the inner prakaram.

Kerala`s ancient history is closely related to that of Tamilnadu. It was a part of the Tamil cultural domain, during the rule of the Cheras, up to the 3rd century AD. The cave temples were influenced by those in Tamilnadu. They have used mixed medium of stone, brick, laterite and wood this gives this temple a unique approach laying stress on sanctity, simplicity and a naturalism.

Deities
Bhagawati and Sastha are the most popular of the deities enshrined in temples. So is Sankaranarayana - the Hari-Hara manifestation of Shiva and Vishnu. Bhagawati is considered to be Narayani - or the Vishnu-Maya. Sastha is considered to be the son of Hari and Hara. Shiva and Vishnu are worshipped equally. In fact, Anantasaayi, or Vishnu enshrined in a reclining posture, is depicted with a Shiva lingam below his extended right arm, unlike in Tamilnadu.

The temple culture of Kerala also stresses the importance of the ancient Indian epics. And is based on Vedic moorings. The ancient practices make one step back in time, into a different world upon entering the temple area - the use of oil lamps instead of electric lamps.

The earlier temples were mainly for Shiva and Vishnu or their manifestations (Krishna, Parasurama, Rama, Vamana). Shiva is worshipped in iconic and aniconic linga form. Swayampradhana shrines to Ganesha, Kartikeya are of later origin, and seen in temples of close to Tamilnadu and Karnataka.

Inscriptions are in ancient Vattezhuttu script of Tamilnadu. Malayalam inscriptions are seen from the 16th century onwards. Temples have been rebuilt and renovated. The temples by the Saints - Kulasekhara Alwar and Cheramaan Perumaal (one of the Nayanmaars) belonged to the Cheras of the ninth century CE.

Chirakkadavu Mahadeva Temple	Shiva Temple of Ernakulam & Ettumanoor	Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram
Ammathiruvadi Temple, Urakam	Mahadeva Temple,Chenganoor	Sri Paramekkavil Bhagavathi Khetram, Thrissur
Ananthanatha Swami Temple	Mammiyoor Temple	Sri Vailikulagara Bhagavathi Temple,Kakkassery
Ananthapura Lake Temple	Mangottu Kavu Temple	Srivallabha Temple, Thiruvalla
Angadickal devi temple,Chenganoor	Mannarshala Temple,Haripad,Alapuzha	Tali Siva Temple, Kozhikode
Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram	Midhunappilli Shiva Temple,Thrissur	Thali Temple - Kozhikkode
Bharanikkavu Devi Temple,Kattanam, Mavelikkara	Muthappan temple-Pazhassini	Thirumanthamkunnu Temple, Malappuram
Brahmeeswaran Temple	Poonkunnam Shiva Temple.Thrissur	Thirunavaya Temple in Thirunavaya,Malappuram
Cherpu Bhagavati(Devi) Temple, Cherpu, Thrissur	Rajarajeshwara Temple	Thirunelli Temple, Brahmagiri Hill, Wayanad
Cherumukku Mahavishnu temple,Cherumukku,Thrissur	Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa temple, Sabarimala	Thiruvambadi Lord Krishna Temple, Thrissur
Chettikulamkara,Alappuzha	Sastamkulangara narasimhamurthy temple,Chenganoor	Thiruvangad Sreerama Temple,Thalassery
Chottanikkra Devi Temple, Kochi	Siva Temple, Ernakulam	Thrikkavu Temple,Ponnani
Devi Temple, Kadampuzha	SivaTemple Arakkiladu,Badagara	Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple, Changanassery
Harippad Subramanya Swamy Temple,Haripad	Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Anaprambal - Tiruvalla	Uthralikkavu Temple, Vadakkanchery, Thrissur
Irinjalakuda koodal Manikam temple,Thrissur	Sree Guruvayoorappan temple, Guruvayur,Thrissur	Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur
Kizhe Thrikkovil Temple, Cheruvathery, Thrissur	Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Thrippunithura	Vethalan kavu Temple,Krishnapuram,Kayamkulam
Killikkurussi Mahadeva Temple,Palakkad	Sree Valayanad Devi Temple, Govindapuram	Bhagawathi Temple ,Chottanikkara
Bhagawathi temple, Chengannur	Sri Devi Temple, Chettikulangara	Viyyoor Shiva Temple, Thrissur