Ever since Bachelard wrote his book, the phrase `poetics of space' has become the common caption to describe many things moving and soul stirring about architecture.
It is not surprising to see the extensive use of the term `poesis' to wax eloquence about the evocative qualities of architecture. For, poetry and making are connected by the Greek word `poesis'. Poetics, genius loci, sense of place, and the long list of similar phrases are part of an architectural tradition which registers and privileges lived experience of the built environment over other rationale. This book, Glimpses of Architecture in Kerala - Temples and Palaces is a jargon-free register of the architect-author Ramu Katakam's experiences.
Visual treat
The author celebrates the `unbroken, tested and tried' traditions of Kerala architecture in this work. It covers about 20 temples, two palaces and a few wooden houses. They are geographically well spread across the present State of Kerala. Followed by two introductory chapters, each temple and palace is briefly described and extensively illustrated.
The prose in the book is different from the conventional architectural journeys and lingers at an intensely personal, emotional and spiritual relationship the author has with architecture — in this case the temples and palaces of Kerala. The book departs to tell the spatial qualities of architecture in a direct and personal manner. Though this in itself is not a shortcoming, the prose at places does seem to be inadequate to capture the evocative qualities of the buildings. The photographs certainly compensate for this.
Joginder Singh has exquisitely photographed the many beautiful temples. They are well laid out and the select visuals have been generously spread out and in one occasion across four pages. This becomes necessary, for the Kerala temples are inextricably linked to their surrounding landscape and weaves well with the contours of the setting. In Katakam's words, it is not just the temple but is also about the interaction of the building with the water and sky that makes it special.
Unique features
Another speciality of the Kerala temple has been its simplicity and extensive use of wood. Katakam briefly describes these aspects and also compares it with the temples in the neighbouring states. The temples featured in the book show variations in architecture and sculptural programme. Probably they are connected to the region in which they are located and the historical circumstances that precede them. A little description of the different regions of Kerala and their cultures would have helped one locate the architecture in their context better.
This is a book for those who want to travel, marvel and be inspired by the beauty that is packed in the simple form of architecture and in the unexpected places like disused boats and ruined walls. Along with the well-framed photographs of completed architecture, pictures of pleasing moss grown over a temple wall, intricate section of a jackfruit tree and warm texture of laterite stone accompany the text. The passion, skills and reverence of the builders and architects are evident in the structure and the photographs that document them. It looks even before Mies van der Rohe gave the words and made a quote out of it, the traditional architects believed and discovered that God lived in the details. This is one of the enjoyable books that is high on photographs.
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