| The Travancore Devaswom Board keenly felt the necessity of embarking on a master plan to foster, revive and re-establish the glory and divine splendours of the shrines under its administration and initiated steps for the promulgation of our Temple Arts and Artists. The Kshetra Kala Peedom Academy came into existence accordingly on the 27th Septemeber 1982 within the sacred premises of the ancient historic and great Mahadevar Temple at Vaikom.
The Academy offers three years courses on the theoretical and practical aspects of the following subjects associated with the temple arts rites and rituals.
- Playing of various musical and percussion instruments associated with rituals namely Idaka, Madhalam, Timila, Veekon, chenda, Kombu Kuzhal etc.
- Panchavadyam.
- Sopana Sangeetham, Thyani, Keerthanam, Ashtapathi etc.
- Ritualistic floor drawings (Kalamezhuthu)
- Nagaswaram and Thavil.
The academy also offers another two year courses for advanced study who have passed the certificate examination on the following courses of studies.
- Sopana Sangeetham
- Pani
- Kuzhal
- Nagaswaram and Thavil
Now facilities have also been provided to all the students who have taken up research works in temple arts. Enrolment for the courses are 65, 10 and 5 Nos. respectively.The artists of music rhythm, dance and painting are integrated in India’s cultural pattern. Kshethra Kala Peedom Academy is the living sample of that culture.In addition there is a regional centre also for the Kalapeedam at Attingal.
Apart from that the Board has proudly commenced a centre –“Institute of Art and Architecture” at Thrissur-solely for imparting training and conducting courses of studies in various art forms and architecture purely of Kerala origin.The Heritage Museum at Kottarakkara is yet another venture started under the auspices of the Board. It has been established inorder to create and propagate awareness among the masses of our age old culture in general and heritage in particular.
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