The project falls under Pazhassi Circuit of Thalasseri Heritage Project, a special initiative by
Government of Kerala to conserve & revive the potential of 60 heritage destinations of Northern
Kerala. Every destination has a particular role to play in the master plan, which is broadly classified
into four different circuits and Kottiyoor temple is one of the anchor destinations in the Pazhassi
circuit.
Kottiyoor Siva temple, situated in the Western Ghats is an ancient pilgrimage destination in North
Kerala. On the opposite banks of the Bavali River there are two temples - Akkare Kottiyoor & Ikkare
Kottiyoor.
Akkare Kottiyoor opens only for 28 days during ‘Vaisakha Mahotsavam’ - the annual festival of the
temple, which falls in the months of May-June. During this time, Ikkare Kottiyoor remains closed.
The history of the temple is that Dakshaprajapathi, not pleased with his daughter’s marriage to Lord
Shiva decided to conduct ‘Daksha Yaga’, a sacrifice at this place without informing his daughter Sati
Devi and Lord Shiva.
The restoration of the temple took place during the time of Shankaracharya, and rituals of the
festival were set out by him. Ikkare Kottiyoor is a formal temple complex like any other temple.
Whereas, the Akkare Kottiyoor temple stands in the middle of a pond and does not have any formal
structure. The Swayambhoo Shiva Linga is placed on a platform raised with river stones. The
Vaishakamahotsavam starts with ‘Neyyattam’ (ablution using ghee) and ends with ‘Elaneerattam’
(ablution using tender coconut water) which are special rituals in the temple.
With such a strong history & belief, the temple is visited by lakhs of pilgrims especially during the
festival season and many on a daily basis. The development that has taken place in modern times, as
any other temple or devotional space in this part of the world, had a total neglect of the
architectural language, materiality, spatial proportions, landscape integration & human interface
which were the key aspects to build in divinity to the space.
The concrete buildings which were constructed in the modern times have affected the spirit of the
place.
The project is an attempt to re-invent the spirit of the place by crafting spaces which evokes the
memories of the past, not only through architectural proportions, materiality, its placement, &
locations, but also by its functions
A performance space, a space for weekend & festival market, a small stage, a festival office, a gallery
to document & talk about the rich heritage, a public library & a story telling centre, a small
bhojanashala and a cowshed were the main components of the project.
All of these were designed keeping the traditional proportions in mind, from plinth to the columns to
the roof. Intent was to create spaces which seamlessly connected to the landscape outside without
cutting down trees. What resulted was a set of structures which re-instated the divinity & the spirit
of the place. Materials were selected with care to ensure connection to traditionally. Laterite is the
main construction material which is available in plenty from local neighbourhoods.The project is a statement in the modern era on how and why it’s important to respect the
traditional architectural proportions & principals when dealing with such sensitive neighbourhoods
and it’s just not about certain materials or a sloping roof.
Kottiyoor project will stand as a testimony for timeless architecture where a modern insertion
blends with the ancient past, together enhancing the divinity of the place