Raja Gopuram View

Right Click on all photographs to view enlarged version.

The following unique sequence of photographs were taken pre Deepam on the day of inspection of the Temple Gopurams.

The photographs also show the condition of the Gopuram stairs and ceiling.

The spectacular photographs were taken near the top of the Raja Gopuram.

The Raja Gopuram, built around 1516 AD is the largest Gopuram of Arunachaleswarar Temple and measures approximately 217 feet in height (i.e. 11 stories).

And now from the top of the Gopuram the rarely seen panoramic view.

If you right click on the last photograph of this posting, you will be able to identify Pavala Kundru Temple set out on a rocky spur of Arunachala. History reports that:

“Tippu Sultan, it is said, occupied the hillock of Pavalakkunru after destroying the small shrine that was there. His solders, it seems, were cruel to the people of the town but strangely the Temple of Sri Arunachala was left untouched, barring a single cannon shot that was fired at it. The missile seems to have hit a part of the northern wall causing minimal damage. After camping there for some weeks, Tippu Sultan and his army left Tiruvannamalai.”