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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Annamalaiyar Temple – Fourth Prakaram – Eastern, Northern & Southern Gopurams of Third Prakaram

Annamalaiyar Temple – Fourth Prakaram – Eastern, Northern & Southern Gopurams of Third Prakaram
Of the bases of these three gopurams the animal frieze has developed and the small lowest course remains plain, but in the upper course a niche is added on either side to the decorations. While the lotus form of the corbel projections is somewhat more developed than the corbels, and the vase ornament base fluted with a plain raised band round is the widest part.

In the small northern and southern gopurams of this court, the corbels over the pillars and at the corners have all three of the usual lotus projections, but the others have the lateral pair only. They are leveled off in the front, as they are also in those over the vase ornaments of the eastern one. There are no vase ornaments on the northern and on the southern one. Each is surrounded by a pavilion ornament instead by corbels.

All the gopurams of the middle court of Thiruvannamalai temple are small and the chief niche alone is present. In the northern and southern gopurams, the pavilion ornament surmounting this niche is of the square type. The northern and southern gopurams of this court are small; the main decorative court on their bases has the simple plan: the frontage on either side of the gateway is set forward a little immediately beside it but extending in a single plan beyond this with pillars and when present vase ornament in simple relief upon it.

The niche of all the gopurams with a strip of wall on either side of it and pillars flanking this stands forwards while the portions of the wall bearing vase ornaments are correspondingly sunk back.

As this gopuram is built by Vallala Maharaja, it is called as Vallala Maharaja Gopuram. The spire of the eastern gopuram of middle court is modern. Rectangular pavilion ornaments alternate with more slender ones presumably derived from the square type. It bears three figures. Though the figures have burst out of the their niche their head dresses reach above the basal part of the pavilion, except in the case of the Dvarapalakas on either side of the external line of windows.


All niches are completely hidden by means of plaster figures except the right at the top, a second row of these being introduced on each storey along the bases of the pavilion ornament roofs. All kudus are very large and extremely ornate.