Gopuram / गोपुरम्

About Gopuram ( गोपुरम् ) :

1. Monumental entrance tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a Hindu temple, in the South Indian Architecture

2. Prominent feature of "Hindu Dravidian Style"

3. They are topped by the "Kalasam", a bulbous stone finial

4. They function as gateways through the walls that surround the temple complex

5. Origins can be traced back to early structures of the Pallava Kings, and relate to the central Shikhara Towers of North India

6. The multiple storeys of a gopuram typically repeat the lower level features on a rhythmic diminishing scale

7. The inner sanctum and its towering roof (the central deity's shrine) is also called the "Vimanam", although in the south it is typically smaller than the gopurams in large temples.

8. They also appear in architecture outside India, especially Khmer architecture, as at Angkor Wat.

9. A gopuram is usually a tapering oblong in form with ground-level wooden doors, often richly decorated, providing access

10. The tapering or "battered" gopuram, divided into many storeys (talas), which diminish in size as the gopuram tower narrows.

11. Usually the tower is topped with a barrel vaulted roof with a finial.

12. Gopurams are exquisitely decorated with sculpture and carvings and painted with a variety of themes derived from the Hindu mythology

Temple Details :

Name - Shri Vishwaroop Devata Temple ( श्री विश्वरूप देवता मंदिर )

Address - MIT Rajbaug, Loni Kalbhor, Pune ( Maharashtra )