Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c52.17

v1.c52.17

The fifth member of the fortification is the gateways of the town. They were in the form of pyramidal towers of imposing aspect. They were called Gopurams literally the defensive structure of the town and thus fittingly adding to the fortification of the town. The Gopura of Prākāra was the same as Dvāra-aṭṭālaka of much older literature (see Arthaśāstra). It was the principal gateway in the wall of the fort. They formed a characteristic feature of the Indo-Aryan architecture. But, in my opinion, their employment was more common in religious architecture than the secular one. The South Indian temples and the temple-cities are the best illustrations. The S.S. as the founder of the secular architecture refrains from their application to towns and residential houses. These Gopurams have formed the fascinating architectural theme in the works like Mayamata (24th Chapter), Mānasāra (33rd Chap.) and others of their group belonging to Dravidian Vāstu-Vidyā. Their towers consisted of varying storeys, their number ranging from one to seventeen. “The splendid art displayed in the gopurams is indeed wonderful and is a living monumental tribute to the high level of aesthetic culture and to the religious spirit of the Hindus” (T. P In Ancient India 101). These gopurams were the gateways of the splendid edifices of the temples or temple cities. The S.S., in the laying out of the principal entrances of the town recommends as many as twelve principal gates on the terminii of the Rāja-mārga and the Mahārathyā in all the directions. Their width was nine, eight or seven hastas on the Rāja-mārga and six, five and four hastas on the Mahārathyā. The Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya mentions four principal gates on the four principal quarters and designates them as Brāhma, Aindra, Yāmya and Saināpatya, according as they are laid on the North, East, South and West respectively (Book II, Chapter III).