The Murals of Kerala bear the stamp of uniqueness in aesthetic composition and technique. Murals came into vogue in Kerala as early as the 8th century AD.
The most antique Murals of Kerala are found in the Thirunandikkara Cave Temple in Thiruvananthapuram district, now a part of Kanya Kumari district of the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. The temple and palace Murals of Kerala are invariably sagas of Hindu gods and goddesses and visual poems of their heroic deeds.
The Murals in Padmanabhapuram Palace offer a feast of colours and motifs for the connoisseur of art. The triple storeyed 'Uppirikka Malika' houses the retiring chamber of the king and the heir apparent.
The main chamber has its inner walls decorated with fine Murals of gods and goddesses. The central motif is Anathapadmanabha, the chief deity of the erstwhile Travancore Maharajas.
The Murals of Krishnapuram Palace near Kayamkulam are visual wonders of artistic perfection. Gajendra Moksham, the largest mural panel in Kerala is a major attraction. The Murals of Mattancherry Palace are dramatic picturisations of the Ramayana and the Bhagvatha.
The Murals of the Shiva Temple in Ettumanoor provide an insight into the earliest forms of the Dravidian mural art. The mural of Shiva as Nataraja, symbolic of the eternal cosmic dance, is the most outstanding Mural here.
This spectacular painting, 217 cms in height and 360 cms in width, is situated on the inner wall of the southern side of the temple tower, called as the 'Gopuram'.