Published Paper Details:

Temples in Kerala have historically functioned not only as centers of religious worship but also as powerful institutions of social, economic, and political authority. This study examines the intricate relationship between ritual practices and power structures in the Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple of Irinjalakuda, situating it within the broader framework of the medieval sanketham system of Kerala. By analyzing ritual authority, administrative practices, and territorial autonomy, the paper explores how temples operated as quasi-sovereign entities that shaped governance, social hierarchy, and institutional control in pre-colonial Kerala. Special emphasis is placed on the unique office of the Thachudaya Kaimal, whose installation through elaborate political-religious rituals signified a rare instance of non-Brahmin ascendancy within a predominantly Brahmanical temple order. The study further traces the gradual erosion of ritual and administrative autonomy due to political conflicts between Travancore and Cochin, colonial judicial intervention, land reforms, and post-independence administrative restructuring. By viewing ritual as a historically grounded social practice, the paper highlights the political significance of temple rituals and their role in negotiating power relations, authority, and legitimacy in Kerala's socio-religious landscape.