A Gopuram or gopura (also known as a vimanam), is a monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a temple, especially in Southern India. Madurai South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union This is a prominent feature of Hindu temple architecture. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation [1] It is topped with the sikhara's amalaka (a bulbous stone finial). Śikhara, a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak" refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India The finial is an architectural device typically carved in stone and employed to decoratively emphasize the Apex of a Gable, or any of various distinctive ornaments They function as gateways through the walls that surround the temple complex. [2]
The gopuram's origins can be traced back to early structures of the Pallavas and by the twelfth century under the Pandya rulers these gateways became a dominant feature of a temple's outer appearance, eventually overshadowing the inner sanctuary which became obscured from view by the gopuram's colossal size. Origins See also Origin of Pallava The exact origin of the Pallavas is shrouded in mystery Origin The origin of the word “Pandya” has been a subject of much speculation [3] It also dominated the inner sanctum in amount of ornamentation. Often a shrine has more than one gopuram. [4]
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Architectural features
A gopuram is usually rectangular in form with ground-level wooden doors, often richly decorated, providing access. In Geometry, a rectangle is defined as a Quadrilateral where all four of its angles are Right angles A rectangle with vertices ABCD would be denoted as Above is the tapering gopuram, divided into many storeys which diminish in size as the gopuram tower narrows. Usually the tower is topped with a barrel vaulted roof with a finial. A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves in the case [3]
Gopurams are exquisitely decorated with sculpture and carvings and painted with a variety of themes derived from the Hindu mythology, particularly those associated with the presiding deity of the temple where the gopuram is located. Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always
Examples
The Gopuram of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamilnadu state is the tallest Gopuram in South India. The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, a reclining form This article is about a notable Hindu pilgrimage location in Tamil Nadu, India. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. This Gopuram, known as the Rajagopuram (the royal temple tower), rises from the base area of around 13 cents (32500 sq feet) and goes up to 196 feet, moving up in eleven progressively smaller tiers.
The Gopuram of Sri Andal Temple in Srivilliputtur is the second highest temple tower in Tamilnadu. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Srivilliputhur (Tamil ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்தூர் / திருவில்லிபுத்தூர் Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. It is 60 m (192 feet) high and has thirteen progressively smaller tiers. This Gopuram is the centerpiece of the state symbol of the Government of Tamilnadu.
 Gopuram of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam |  Gopuram of the Virupaksha Temple at Hampi |  A gold overlaid gopuram at the Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kanchipuram |  Side-view of a gopuram at the Ekambareswarar temple, Kanchi |
 Main gopuram at the Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchi |  Gopuram of the Annavaram temple at Annavaram |  Temple gopuram at Tirumala |  Top of a gopuram at Madurai |
 Temple gopuram at Tirunelveli |
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Ching et al, Francis D. This article is about a notable Hindu pilgrimage location in Tamil Nadu, India. Hampi ( Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ is a village in northern Karnataka state India. Kamakshi Amman Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Kamakshi, one of the forms of the goddess Tripura Sundari. Kanchipuram, Kanchi, or Kancheepuram is a city and a Municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Ekambareswarar Temple (ஏகாம்பரநாதர் கோயில் is one of the famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Kanchipuram The temple It is an ancient temple built by the Cholas in 1053 andone of the 108 Divyadesams the holy abodes of Vishnu Annavaram a village is situated on the banks of river Pampa in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in India. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (తిరుమల వేంకటేశ్వర దేవాలయం also known as Tirupati Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu temple Madurai Tirunelveli (திருநெல்வேலி is a city in Tamil Nadu and was formed into a Municipal corporation in 1999 by merging three municipalities viz Śikhara, a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak" refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist Also Pradakshinam Pradakshina (Sanskrit meaning Circumambulation, consists of walking around in a 'circle' as a form of worship in Hindu ceremonies A mandapa (also spelled mantapa or mandapam) in Indian architecture is a pillared outdoor hall or pavilion for public A Gopuram or gopura (also known as a vimanam) is a monumental tower usually ornate at the entrance of a temple especially in Southern India. K. (2007). A Global History of Architecture. New York: John Wiley and Sons, p. 762. ISBN 0-471-82451-3.
- ^ Ching, Francis D. K. (1995). A Visual Dictionary of Architecture. New York: John Wiley and Sons, p. 253. ISBN 0-471-82451-3.
- ^ a b Mitchell, George (1988). The Hindu Tempe. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 151–153. ISBN 0-266-53230-5.
- ^ gopura. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on 2008-01-20. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome.
External links
References
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
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