EVOLUTION OF FORM OF

GOPURAM
THE EVOLUTION OF THE GOPURAM AND THE VIMANAM
•Symbolically, the Gopura or the entrance to the temple represent the feet of the
deity. A devotee bows at the feet of the Lord at the entrance as he steps into the
temple and proceeds towards the sanctum, leaving behind the world of
contradictions.
•These towers can go over fifty meters tall.
•A Gopura is generally constructed with a massive stone base and a superstructure of
brick and pilaster. It is rectangular in plan and topped by a barrel-vault roof crowned
with a row of finials. It differs from the Vimana over the central shrine in that it need
not necessarily be square-based.
•Gopuras came in rather late during the mid-12th century in evolution of Dravidian or
South Indian Temple Architecture and probably due to security reasons.
•The Gopura also emphasizes the importance of the temple within the city.
•With the increasing threat from invading armies, the temple cities found it expedient
to erect a series of protective walls to safeguard and defend their temples, palaces and
cities. The Gopuras constructed on the gateways leading from one enclosure to the
next, initially, served as watch towers for defense. This also necessiated the increase in
the height of the structure.
•It also began to serve as a landmark which could be seen from far.
•Gopuras appear to have influenced revision in the temple design and layout. The
spaces around the shrine became hierarchical; the further the space was from the
main shrine, the lesser was its eminence. The outermost ring had buildings of a more
utilitarian or a secular nature - shops, dormitories, sheds, workshops etc., thus
transforming the temple from a purely place of worship to the hub of a vibrant living
city.
•When viewed from top, the Gopura too resembles a Mandala; With sculptures and
carvings of Yalis and mythical animals located in the outer enclosure. Humans and
divine beings are in the inner enclosures. The peak of the Gopura, the Kalasha, is at
the centre of the Mandala.
•These sculptures follow a variety of themes derived from the Hindu mythology,
particularly those associated with the presiding deity of the temple where the
gopuram is located.
 COMPLEXITY IN TEMPLE PLAN DUE TO COMPLEXITY IN RITUALS

In Hindu tradition, there is no dividing line between the secular and the sacred. In the
same spirit, Hindu temples are not just sacred spaces, they are also secular spaces.
Their meaning and purpose have extended beyond spiritual life to social rituals and
daily life, offering thus a social meaning. Some temples have served as a venue to
mark festivals, to celebrate arts through dance and music, to get married or
commemorate marriages. commemorate the birth of a child, other significant life
events, or mark the death of a loved one. In political and economic life, Hindu temples
have served as a venue for the succession within dynasties and landmarks around
which economic activity thrived
LATE PANDYA OR MADURA STYLE,
MADURAI NAYAK DYNASTY
• The Nayak Dynasty of Madurai were rulers of a region
comprising most of modern-day Tamil Nadu, India, with
Madurai as their capital.
• They were from Balija community
• The Nayak reign was an era noted for its achievement in arts,
cultural and administrative reforms, revitalization of temples
previously ransacked by the Delhi Sultans, and inauguration of a
unique architectural style.

Nayaka temples
• The Madurai and Tanjavur Nayaks made great contributions to
architectural style.
• The main characteristics of the style during this period being
the elaborate mandapas of the "hundred-pillared" and
"thousand-pillared" types, the high gopurams with stucco
statues on the surface and the long corridors.
 The main temples representing this style are:
• Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai ( constructed by Pandya
dynasty)- noted for the great splendour of its gopuras, its
"thousand-pillared" mandapam etc.
• The Ranganatha temple at Srirangam — noted for its increase in
the number of enclosures;
• The temple at Rameswaram (built by different rulers over a
period of time starting from the twelfth century) — noted for its
long corridors;
• The Subramanya temple at the Brihadisvara Temple court at
Tanjavur (constructed during Chola period) — noted for its fine
vimana with ratha and maha mandapas;
 Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
• Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman
Temple is a historic Hindu temple located in the holy city of
Madurai in Tamila Nadu.  It is dedicated to Parvati who is known
as Meenakshi and her consort, Shiva, named here as
Sundareswarar
• The temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has
been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature.
• The present structure is believed to have been built in 1600.
• Kulasekara Pandya was the king who constructed the temple.
• But in later it was developed by Madurai Nayak dynasty.
• The initiative to rebuild the structure was taken by first Nayak
King of Madurai Viswanatha Nayak (1559-1600 A.D.)
 Temple Layout
• The temple walls, streets and finally the city
walls (ancient) were built around the temple in
concentric squares.
• Ancient Tamil classics mention that the
temple was the center of the city and the
streets happened to be radiating out.
• It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to
have four entrances facing four directions.
• The complex has an area of 45 acres
(180,000 sqm).
• The temple is a massive structure measuring
254 X 237 meters.
• The complex houses 14 magnificent
Gopurams or towers including two golden
Gopurams for the main deities, that are
elaborately sculptured and painted.
• The tallest temple tower is the Southern
tower- 51.9 metres (170 ft) high.
• Considered as the south gateway, the
Meenakshi temple consists of the twin
temples of God Shiva and Goddess
Meenakshi, each one as high as about nine
storeys.
• The Shiva shrine lies at the centre of the
complex. The Meenkashi shrine is on the left
of the Shiva shrine and is of sculpturally less
valuable than the Shiva shrine.
Velli Ambalam
• This mandapam is in the
forecourt of the Shiva shrine.
• This is one of the five royal
courts (Sabai or Sabha) where
Lord Shiva is found as Nataraja,
performing his Cosmic Dance.
• The massive Nataraja sculpture is
enclosed in a huge silver altar and
hence called 'Velli Ambalam'
Arukal mandapam
• It is situated opposite the
Meenakshi Amman sanctum
sanctorum.
• The Pattabishekam (crowning)
Goddess Meenakshi takes place
here during the Chittirai festival.
Porthamarai Kulam
• The sacred pond inside the temple, known
as golden lily tank, is a very holy site for
devotees.
• People go around the 165 ft (50 m) by 120
ft (37 m) lake before entering the main
shrine.
• The tank is encircled by a pillared corridor.
• It is believed that the area around this tank
was the meeting place of the “Tamil
Sangam” - the ancient academy of poets.
Thousand Pillar Hall or Aayiram Kaal
Mandapam
• The thousand pillar mandapam is regarded
as the 'wonder of the palace'.
• There is a Temple Art Museum in the hall.
• Just outside this mandapam, towards the
west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar,
when struck, produces a different musical
note.
The kalyana mandapam
• It is at the south of the pillared hall. Here
the marriage of Shiva and Parvati is
celebrated every year during the Chithirai
Festival.
• The ceiling of the sacred wedding hall are
covered with teak planks with exquisite art
work.
• The 64 miracles of Lord Sivaperuman have
also been painted on the dome of the
mandapam.
Kambathadi mandapam
• Sculptures of the Meenakshi and
Sokkanathar are found here.
• The golden chariot of the temple is kept in
this mandapam. The golden chariot
procession also starts from this mandapam.
Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam
• This Mandapam situated adjacent to the
East Rajagopuram
Oonjal Mandapam
• The Oonjal (swing) Mandapam and
Killikoontu (parrot cage) Mandapam are
situated on the western side of the tank.
• The golden idols of Meenakshi and
Sundareswarar are seated on the swing in
the Oonjal Madapam.
• The 28 pillars of the Mandapam are the
most interesting parts, exhibiting some
excellent Sculptures of figures from Hindu
mythology.
Vasantha Mandapam or Pudhu
Mandapam
• The mandapam is the venue of the
Vasanthosavam - the Spring festival,
celebrated in Vaikasi (April/May).
• The pillars present at the mandapam
has elaborate sculptures of Lord Shiva,
Goddess Meenakshi.
Ashta Shakthi Mandapam
• This is the first hall in the entrance of
Meenakshi shrine tower near to East
Tower.
• The eight forms of Goddess Sakthi the
consort of Lord Shiva have been
sculptured into the pillars of the
mandapam individually.
• The hall carry the statues of eight
goddesses and hence the name.