Why does Tamil Nadu have a temple gopuram/vimanam in its state emblem, when it is an anti-Brahmin state?

 Why does Tamil Nadu have a temple gopuram/vimanam in its state emblem, when it is an anti-Brahmin state?

What a temple Gopuram to do with a Brahmin?

88% of Tamils follow the major religions of Tamil country - Shaivism, Sri Vaishnavism and Kaumaram or Murugan Worship.

TN Government State Emblem is Srivilliputtur Andal Temple Gopuram, which was the tallest Temple Gopuram during that time, now it is the third largest, after Murudeswar and Sri Rangam.

Brahmins contribution in Gopuram, do not go beyond performing rituals.

All constructed by Religious Kings, Spiritual Wanderers or Sanyasis and devotees. Many devotees sacrificed their lives for protecting our temples from Islamic and Christian looters and noble kings become watch dogs, checking temple rituals of feeding God before they took food. They reconstructed the towers demolished by invaders.

After independence, the devotees of TN, maintaining their tradition, constructed and completed Temple Gopurams of thousands of temples- which remained mottai gopurams for several centuries. Big examples: Sri Rangam Gopuram started in 1542 during Achuta Devaraya regime, completed in 1987. And another noticeable one is Tenkasi Temple Gopuram.

Here an example of History goes:

History: Dutch Destruction of Tiruchendur Temple

Vijayanagara Kingdom ended in 1646 with their defeat at Vellore. Alongwith them the support to Tenkasi Pandiya Kingdom weakened and so the protection to Tiruchendur Temple.

Madurai Naicker kingdom during Tirumalai Naicker (1623- 1659), was under constant threat from the armies of Bijapur Sultanate and the other neighbouring Muslim kingdoms from North.

Dutch and Portugese were based at Kayalpattinam, Tuticorin for the trading spices to Europe.

Fortification of temples and looting of temples were a common thing with European traders and invaders when there is an adverse situation.

Tiruchendur Senthil Andavar temple invasion by Dutch in 17th century is an example.

When Tirumalai Naicker engaged in war with Bijapur Sultans, Dutch occupied and fortified the temple and looted the treasures.

On hearing Thirumalai Naicker returned from the war victorious, Dutch set fire the temple and had taken away the idol to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and demanded 100000 reals money. The structure, though damaged but withstood the fire.

The temple recovered from Dutch. Tirumalai Naicker warned them to return the idol. He also requested the Kandy Buddhist Kings to attack Dutch if they do not return the idols stolen from the temple. Finally Dutch returned the idol through a Kayalpattinam Marakkayar.

For strategic reasons, Tirumalai Naicker shifted his capital from Trichy to Madurai in 1634 and initiated Meenakshi Thirukkalyanam and Kallalagar Festival to maintain the harmony between Shaivites and Sri Vaishnavites.

The present Tiruchendur temple was reconstructed alongwith Rajagopuram in 1650.

Meanwhile the new idol made by locals is consecrated in Kurukkuththurai and a new temple is built there.

The consecration of the idols were done in Tiruchendur in the presence of Tirumalai Naicker in 1653.

Panchalankurichi Polygars were given the responsibility to vigil. The polygars took the food daily, only after hearing the Nei vedhiyam ritual from the temple.

Many may be aware that Tirumalai Naicker himself took food only after the feeding ritual done at Andal Thayar at Srivilliputtur.

A devotional legend version of the history is picturised in Tiruchendur Temple praharam.