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Gopurams - Dravidian Style Hindu Temple Gate Towers

Updated on March 14, 2009
Gopuram of a Temple at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India.
Gopuram of a Temple at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India.

Introduction

Gopurams are unique to Hindu Temple architecture of Dravidian style, which developed in Southern India and mainly flourished in areas currently within the state of Tamil Nadu. Gopurams are towers found at the entrances provided at the walls encircling the temple complex. Small temples may have only one Gopuram and larger ones would have more. Temples with one enclosure wall around them can have one gate tower on each side. When the temples grew in size, new enclosure walls were added in a concentric manner and the number of gopurams also increased in number. In these cases as a general rule, outer gopurams are taller than the inner ones.

The bottom part of the Gopuram structure is rectangular in plan and rise above the ground vertically. The enrace gate is provided in the centre of this. Above this the gopuram rise up in multiple levels tapered towards the top.

History

Earliest Dravidian temples did not have Gopurams. They had tower like structures above the sanctuaries. They were called "Vimana" or "Sikara". During the rule of Pallava kings in Tamil Nadu, some temples had incepient forms of gopurams (fig 2). They were very much smaller than the "Vimanas". By 10th century AD, during the reign of Chola kings large temples were built with huge "vimanas" (fig 3), but the "gopurams" were very much smaller in comparision with "vimanas".

Picture on the left shows the close-up view of the small gopuram shown in the fig.2. Picture on the right shows a huge "Vimana" built during 10th century AD.
Picture on the left shows the close-up view of the small gopuram shown in the fig.2. Picture on the right shows a huge "Vimana" built during 10th century AD.

Later during 12th century AD under Pandiya dynasty rule, the "gopurams" developed into bigger structures than "vimanas". These later temples had very insignificant "vimanas". Heights of these "Gopurams" or Gate Towers incresed further and during Vijayanagara rule and later under Nayakkar rule big temples had many and very tall gate houses.

Left: Famous Temple at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Right: A Temple Gopuram at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India.
Left: Famous Temple at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Right: A Temple Gopuram at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India.

 Sculptures depicting various religious stories had been included in all levels of gopurams during later periods. These include Goods and Godesses, Human, animals,  birds and other objects.

Closer view of a Gopuram showing colourful sculptures.
Closer view of a Gopuram showing colourful sculptures.
working

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