Question

With reference to Kerala Murals, Consider the following statements:

1. The artist seems to have derived sources from oral traditions and local versions of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata for painted narration.

2. Kerala painters adopted certain stylistic elements from Nayaka and Vijayanagara schools.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Both 1 and 2

The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.

• Kerala painters (during the period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century) evolved a pictorial language and technique of their own while discriminately adopting certain stylistic elements from Nayaka and Vijayanagara schools. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The painters evolved a language taking cues from contemporary traditions like Kathakali and kalam ezhuthu using vibrant and luminous colours, representing human figures in three-dimensionality.
• Most of the paintings are seen on the walls of shrines and cloister walls of temples and some inside palaces.
• Thematically too, paintings from Kerala stand apart.
  • Most of the narrations are based on those episodes from Hindu mythology which were popular in Kerala.
  • The artist seems to have derived sources from oral traditions and local versions of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata for painted narration. Hence, statement 2 is correct.​

• More than sixty sites have been found with mural paintings which include three palaces—Dutch palace in Kochi, Krishnapuram palace in Kayamkulam and Padmanabhapuram palace.
• Among the sites where one can see the mature phase of Kerala’s mural painting tradition are Pundareekapuram Krishna temple, Panayanarkavu, Thirukodithanam, Triprayar Sri Rama temple and Trissur Vadakkunathan temple.