2 William A. Noble Anthropos 76. 1981 simple to complex spectrum, I, in 1971, found the same to hold true for the Hindu temples of Kerala. Master craftsmen (mainly the Asaris, members of the carpenter caste) have from generation to generation consistently adhered to basic principles of architecture and functional design. Thus any Hindu wor shiper is assured of a worship microcosm in which the degree of expectancy is sufficiently met to put the mind at ease. A treatment of the basic features used to create a variant spectrum of the Kerala style Hindu temple will form the theme of my writing. Although we are dealing with a Hindu-related theme, it is worth noting that evidence indicates the existence for millennia of a basic guiding principle which has strongly influenced the architecture and organi zation of many Buddhist, Jaina, and Hindu temples in South Asia. The Kerala style Hindu temples are mainly located in the southwestern- most state of India (Map 1), where a comparatively narrow strip of land stretches from the Arabian Sea up into the highest mountains in South India (Anaimudi, in Kerala, 2695 m, is the highest peak in South India). 1 Kerala State is the realm of Malayalee people who speak Malayalam. Present Kerala State was formed through the joining of the Kasaragod Taluk in South Kanara (Madras State), the Malabar District (Madras State), Cochin State, and Tra- vancore State (excluding the southern Tamilian region down to Cape Comorin, which was joined to Tamil Nadu). 1. The Basic Guiding Principle All men are pilgrims during their short life on earth. Sooner or later, in one form or another, they are forced to grapple with death and its relation ship to ultimate reality. Any theorizing of ultimate reality will involve many questions pertaining to birth, the magnificent and miraculous processes of creation or preservation, and the climax of death. Brahma - The Creator, Vishnu - The Preserver, and Shiva - The Destroyer are a reflection of a Hindu effort to grapple with ultimate reality. Birth, death, and preservation are so intertwined that it is normal, for example, for Shiva to be associated with creation (epitomized by the linga, or phallus). 1 These results are dedicated to Yasudeva Poduval and to P. Joseph John, a constant companion and enthusiastic worker during my stay in Kerala. It was primarily due to the efforts of Yasudeva Poduval, my guru and friend, that I was able to visit Hindu temples in Kerala. This gentleman was once the Director of the Archaeology Department, Travancore State. He was later a member of the Travancore Devaswom (Hindu Temple Trust) Board at Trivandrum, the capital of both Travancore and Kerala states. Following custom, I entered each temple as a barefooted pilgrim wearing a dhoti (cloth length wound around the waist) and no shirt - and, thus, also paid homage to the region of my birth and childhood. I am extremely grateful to Govindakutty Menon, Cochin Devaswom Commissioner, who facilitated expeditious visits to the main temples of the region once in Cochin State. To K. Narayana Pillai, Travancore Devaswom Commissioner, thanks are due for per mission to enter specified temples supported by that board. To the Secretary to Govern ment, Government of Kerala, who directed the Malabar Devaswom Board to render all possible assistance during my visits to Hindu temples in that region, thanks are also due.