TEMPLE TOWERS

Were temple gopurams in South India originally colorful or is this a recent change?



Vijayanagara Emperors and their feudatories, the Naickers, introduced grand Rajagopuras or gopuras in a big way all over their Empire.

For example

Madurai Minakshi temple, Madurai

Virupaksha temple in the capital Hampi,

Simhachala Narasimha temple in Vishaka Pattinam,

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before Vijayanagara, the temples had Vimana (called Shikhara in North India).

For example

The tall tower on top of Peruvudayar Kovil, Thanjavur is Vimana not Gopura.

Shore temple of Pallavas has Vimana.

Pattadakal tower of Chalukyas is also Vimana.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Difference between Vimana and Gopura is that Vimana is atop the Garbha Grha (sanctum sanctorum), while Gopuras are at the gates.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes

Gopuras in most of Tamil Nadu are colorful while those outside Tamil Nadu are monochromatic. Few such well-known monochromatic temples are:

· Srishaila Mallikarjuna in Andhra

· Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum

· Srikanteshwara temple Nanjangud in Karnataka

· Belur Chennakeshava temple


One exception to colorful Tamil Nadu temples are the Northern Districts (Thondai Mandalam) of Tamil Nadu ruled by Chandragiri Rayas / Chenji Naickers.

If one drives from Bangalore to Chennai, one can notice that the temple towers of Arcot are monochromatic.

Not surprisingly, the Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwara Temple

Vellore Jalakanteshwara and

Kanchi Ekambareshwara temples are monochromatic.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some temples outside Tamilnadu that have colorful towers are

Ahobila Narasimha temple in Kurnool (built with Sri Rangam influence) and

Male Mahadeshwara (right at the border)

A few colorful ones like Kapalishvara temple tower in Mylapore are new, built only in 1906.

Others like Chidambaram are old, built in 13th century. So, color in gopura is not a new thing.

Important Historical Trend in Tamil Nadu: Temples built in the areas ruled by Madurai Naickers (South of Trichy) or in areas under their cultural influence (Salem, Coimbatore, too) have brightly colored Gopuras.

Places where they never ruled or under Chandragiri Rayas / Chenji Naickers- North, South Arcot, Kanchi - have monochromatic Gopuras.

Gradually, bright colored Gopuras became the Tamil standard.


Now

Tamils are building temples outside Tamil Nadu; their tastes are changing; they are getting influenced by non-Tamil and Western standards. A few are feeling ashamed of the colorful nature of their temple towers.

Color highlights the idols. Tamils should not use external or modern or pop standards to judge their own temples – which are some of the best in the world.

Thanks to Rajiv Satyanarayana - a Student of South Indian History.