The Western Himalayan region conjures up a vision of a vast mountainscape, with its snow – crested lofty peaks, verdant mountain slopes, cascading streams and sun-bathed glens and valleys. This region has been one of the most active and vibrant rendezvous for races and cultures since remotest times. Generation after generation, hordes of people, belonging to diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds, different religious beliefs and varying art-traditions have been pouring into this region from all directions. This work strives to discover those racio-cultural strains, and presents a kaleidoscopic picture through the study of wooden temples of this region as a living and organic entity of the socio-cultural whole. For proper understanding of the Western Himalayan wooden temples, it is essential that these are evaluated as the living and dynamic institutions of the society. For, these temples are so articulate in their silent expressions that by following their decorative details, one can recreate socio-cultural past of the society. The present study, divided into two parts, deals with the socio-geographical mosaic, the racio-cultural background and discusses the factors responsible for the development of the wooden temple architecture in this region. The classification of the wooden temples on their elevational peculiarities, etc. has been attempted. Typological analysis of these temples forms a very important component of the study. Attempt has also been made to set right certain laring incongruities that have cropped up in the writings on the temple architecture and related topics of this region.
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