Abstract :

South India is home to some of the most exquisite and architecturally significant temples in the world, dating back to the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, and Vijayanagar dynasties. These temples not only serve as places of worship but also as repositories of art, culture, and history. This review explores the historical evolution of South Indian temples, their architectural marvels, and the religious and cultural significance they hold. Key architectural features, such as gopurams, vimanas, and intricately carved mandapas, reflect the ingenuity of ancient craftsmen and their alignment with spiritual and cosmic principles. The temples also served as centres of education, art, and socio-economic activities, sustaining traditional dance forms like Bharatanatyam and fostering community cohesion. Today, these temples are integral to cultural tourism, attracting millions of visitors who seek to experience their spiritual and historical heritage. By examining these enduring legacies, the review highlights the profound role of temples in shaping South India’s cultural identity.

---

Keywords :

Cultural Heritage, Dravidian Architecture, Religious Significance, Sculpture, South Indian Temples, Temple Art.

---

References :

1. Satyavarapu G. THE VISUAL AND SPATIAL INFLUENCE OF TEMPLES UPON SOUTH INDIAN TEMPLE TOWNS(Doctoral dissertation, University of Nottingham).
2. Vahia MN, Menon SM. Possible influences of India on Southeast Asian astronomy: a brief review of the archaeoastronomical record. Exploring the History of Southeast Asian Astronomy: A Review of Current Projects and Future Prospects and Possibilities. 2021:601-34.
3. Chandra P, editor. Studies in Indian temple architecture. New Delhi: American Institute of Indian Studies; 1975.
4. Singh AK, Das VM, Garg YK, Kamal MA. Investigating Architectural Patterns of Indian Traditional Hindu Temples through Visual Analysis Framework. Civil Engineering and Architecture. 2022;10(2):513-30.
5. CHAWDA AP. Temple Economy in Ancient & Medieval India.
6. Comeau LE. Saturated Space, Signs of Devotion in South Indian Temples. South Asian Studies. 2019 Jul 3;35(2):181-92.
7. Holey A, Pethe A. HISTORIOGRAPHY OF STUDIES IN ŚILPĪ TRADITIONS IN INDIA.
8. Branfoot C. Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture: South India, Drāviḍadeśa, Later Phase c. AD 1289-1798 edited by George Michell,(2001). Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 2003;66(1):105-7.
9. Swarna R. Systematic Literature Review: Importance of Temple Food Identification of Variables and Gaps-Lessons from Bhagwad Gita, Buddhism & Jainism.
10. Chakrabarti A. God’s Wealth, Monetised Gold, and Cultural Policy: An Investigation into the Question of Temple Gold in India.
11. Harding PE. The proportions of sacred space: South Asian temple geometry and the Durga Temple of Aihole(Master’s thesis, The Ohio State University).
12. Inglis MC, Branfoot C. Indian temple architecture and modernity: practices, knowledge production, methodologies. arq: Architectural Research Quarterly. 2022 Mar;26(1):4-13.
13. Iyengar R. The Divya Desam Temples: A Premise for Analyzing the Srivaisnava Dispute in South India(Doctoral dissertation).
14. Raman SK, Zakaria SA. Temple as place: The Pathars and their devasthanam as a unit of analysis. Alam Cipta. 2022 Jun 1;15(1):48-56.
15. YAMASHITA, Hiroshi. “The Nagarattar Temples and a Priest Training Institution in Chettinad, South India.” PhD diss., Tohoku University, 2017.
16. Czerniak-DrożDżowiCz, M., 2022. Viṣhṇu in his three abodes: some observations about three-storey and triple-shrined Viṣhṇu temples in South India.
17. Sivananda S. Temples in India. Yoga-Vedanta Forest University; 1957.
18. Kumar NA, Padmaja EV. Historical perspective of Hindu temples in South India.
19. Parthiban T. The origin of the vimanas of temples in South India. International Journal of Physical and Social Sciences. 2013;3(1):188-92.
20. Sankari S, Rajalakshmi R. Pancha Bhutha (Five Elements) Sthala Temples In South India–A Study. International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies. 2016;3(10):167-70.
21. Malville, J. McKim and R. N. Swaminathan ‘People, Planets and the Sun: Surya Puja in Tamil Nadu, South India’, Culture and Cosmos, Vol. 2 no 1, Spring/Summer 1998, pp. 3-15.
22. Menon SM. From megaliths to temples: astronomy in the lithic record of South India. InThe Growth and Development of Astronomy and Astrophysics in India and the Asia-Pacific Region: ICOA-9, Pune, India, 15-18 November 2016 2019 (pp. 433-461). Springer Singapore.
23. Trouillet PY. Hindu temples and development of localities in Tamil Nadu (South India). Subaltern Urbanisation in India: An Introduction to the Dynamics of Ordinary Towns. 2017:311-34.
24. Appadurai A. Kings, sects and temples in south India, 1350-1700 AD. The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 1977 Jan;14(1):47-73.