The Magic Square in Thiruvananthapuram

Abstract

his paper examines a 3x3 Magic Square recently identified by the author, engraved on the 
ceiling of the Ārāttu Mandapam in Shanghumukham, Thiruvananthapuram. This structure was 
built during the reign of Mārthānda Varma (1729–1758 CE), the founding monarch of the 
Kingdom of Trāvancōre. Historically, Magic Squares functioned as mystic diagrams in worship, 
meditation, and rituals, frequently appearing in religious manuscripts and on monuments. Their 
evolution is a compelling narrative of intellectual curiosity, cultural adaptation, and cross
civilizational exchange. From their ancient origins as talismans and tools of divination to their 
modern study in combinatorics and number theory, Magic Squares remain a source of 
fascination. 
Kerala's distinguished mathematical heritage, exemplified by the Kerala School of 
Astronomy and Mathematics, provides a fertile context for such numerical explorations. This is 
further evidenced by widespread cultural practices, such as the use of yantras in temple 
architecture and the creation of geometrically precise Kalams in rituals, which demonstrate a 
profound cultural engagement with numerical and geometric harmony. Despite this rich 
backdrop, the Magic Square at Ārāttu Mandapam currently stands as the only known example 
of its kind discovered in Kerala.