ABSTRACT
Temple towns in the southern part of India have been the prominent urban centers in medieval times that have had immense social, cultural, and economic significance. These towns have had drastic impacts due to urbanization in the country and the development of technological industries with modern facilities. Out-migration from small towns to highly urbanized cities for upgraded lifestyle and economic opportunities has led to the shrinking of old cities in the country. In the case of temple towns, there is a noticeable phenomenon of population declination and constant dilapidation of built character, socioeconomic linkages, and cultural heritage. Hence, there is a need to revitalize the temple towns in order to integrate the conservation and development process. This study aims to identify the indicators and assessment techniques to revitalize the temple town, through a case study of Thrissur, India. The study and analysis have been conducted as per the tools and techniques derived from UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape approach. The findings of this paper focus on the identification and extraction of indicators through secondary studies that will contribute to the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the temple towns for revitalization.
