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A gopuram or gopura (Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada: ಗೋಪುರ, Malayalam: ഗോപുരം) is a monumental entrance tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a Hindu temple, in the South Indian architecture of the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana, [1] and Sri Lanka.
Srivilliputhur Andal Temple's gopuram measures eleven storeys high and 59m tall, making it the tallest of its era. During the Madurai Nayak dynasty, lesser figures sponsored religious projects, including the large scale campus. [14] The temple is the emblem of the Government of Tamil Nadu. [13] Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu, India: 5
Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was the official songmaster of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, and a Telugu composer who composed around 36000 keertanas, [81] many of which were in praise of Venkateswara, the presiding deity of the temple.
Ananda Nilayam (Abode of Happiness) is the glittering gold-plated gopuram of the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. According to Vaishnava philosophy, gopurams of the sanctum sanctorum are named: Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam), Srirangam : "Pranavaakaara Vimanam" (after its shape like "Pranava", the sacred "Om")
The temple has 17 major gopurams (towers, 21 total), [note 3] 39 pavilions, 50 shrines, nine sacred water pools, Ayiram kaal mandapam (a hall of 1000 pillars) and several small water bodies inside. [4] [56] The temple is aligned to the north–south and east–west axis, on an island surrounded by the Kaveri River.
The temple complex is one of the largest in the state and it houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Mahalingeswaraswamy, Bruhatsundarakuchaambika and Mookambigai ( or Devi Mookambika ) being the most prominent.
The eastern gopuram is taller than the western gopuram, which is contrasting to large temples where the rajagopuram is the tallest one. [4] One of the most famous architectural pieces in the temple is the huge stone chain sculpted in a single stone. [28] There is a 100 pillared hall [29] which has sculptures depicting Ramayana and Mahabharata.
The construction of the temple began in 1889 when brothers Dwarampudi Subbi Reddy and Rami Reddy donated land and built a small temple with wooden idols of Rama and Sita. A larger temple was built in 1939. The two gopurams were constructed in 1948–50 and 1956–58. [2] [3] The temple is also known as 'Chinna Bhadradi' or the 'Little ...