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[Full title: The arrangement of doors (诲惫腻谤补-惫颈诲丑腻苍补) (7) Details regarding Gateways (gopura)]

Now here we present several storeyed gateways with their specific features:

In ancient Indian 惫腻蝉迟耻艣腻蝉迟谤补, gopura refers to a monumental entrance tower, usually found at the entrance of Hindu temples or palaces or houses. Gopuras are usually large and imposing structures, often seen at the entrances of Hindu temple but these are not limited to temple entrances; they can also be found at the entrances of several palaces, houses, forts, towns etc. 础尘补谤补办辞峁�a mentions the term Gopura. 

It is stated that鈥�

鈥�pura诲惫腻谤补stu 驳辞辫耻谤补峁�鈥� (础尘补谤补办辞峁�a 2.2.45). 

It means-city gate or entrance of the city is called gopura. It is also mentioned that鈥�

鈥�诲惫腻谤补mra tu 驳辞辫耻谤补峁�鈥� (础尘补谤补办辞峁�a, 3.3.182). 

According to P.K. Acharya gopura 尘别补苍蝉鈥�

鈥淎 gate-house, Doors in general, the colossal buildings over or near the gate giving entrance to a city, temple, monastery etc.鈥�^[1]

It is also mentioned that鈥�

鈥�诲惫腻谤补mra tu 驳辞辫耻谤补峁�鈥� (础尘补谤补办辞峁�a, 3.3.182). 

痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟测补 records that:

鈥�agragamane ka gav膩峁� 辫耻谤补峁�, gav膩 jalena p奴ryyate p峁涐箾-va帽arthe ka v膩, puradv膩re sre峁ａ弓hadv膩re 补尘补谤补岣�鈥� (痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟测补, vol.4. p-2712). 

The word gopura is mentioned in several texts of Sanskrit literature.

The 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺 noted that-pr膩s膩d膩t p膩dah墨na峁� tu gopurasyochchhr膩yo bhavet | (础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻 42.22)

The text 碍腻尘颈办腻驳补尘补 identifies the gopura as a part of residential house.

It is stated that鈥�

gopurasy膩pyala峁卥膩ra峁� 艣腻濒腻la峁卥膩ravannayet |
蝉补产丑腻办腻谤补 艣谤辞测耻办迟补峁� 艣腻濒腻办腻谤补 艣谤补岣� 办谤颈测补峁� || (碍腻尘颈办腻驳补尘补 35.124)

[鈥淭he ornamental construction for the gopura should be done in the same way as done for the ornamentation of 艣腻濒补 type of building. It should be provided with the finial which should look like a 蝉补产丑腻. An alternative, the finial may be in the form of 艣腻濒腻.鈥漖^[2]

The great epic 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 denotes the word gopura as gate-houses of palaces. It is stated that鈥�

辫耻谤补峁� gopur膩峁�峁�膩lakopeta峁� |
尘颈迟丑颈濒腻峁� 驳辞辫耻谤腻峁�峁�腻濒补办补惫补迟墨峁� | (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补,3.173.3 & 3.207.7) 

The 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 also refers the term gopura as the gate house of town, temple etc. It is stated that-

caturdik峁�u catur诲惫腻谤补峁� gopurai艣ca samavita峁� | (惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补, 10.48)

The common notice is that a gopura is associated only to the temple architecture, where as these above mentioned texts indicate that a gopura can also be a part of a palace, cities or any construction, other than temple.

Maya classifies the gateways into seven categories. There can also be divided some sub-categories on the basis of structural design and different features. They are鈥�

Storeys	Gateways
Single storeyed	艢谤颈办补谤补,艢墨迟补 and 艢谤颈产丑补诲谤补
Two storeyed	搁补迟颈办腻苍迟补,碍腻苍迟补惫颈箩补测补 and 厂耻尘补峁単补濒补
Three storeyed	Mardala,惭腻迟谤补办丑补峁囜笉补 and 艢谤颈苍颈办别迟补苍补
Four storeyed	-
Five storeyed	-
Six storeyed	-
Seven storeyed	叠丑补诲谤补办补濒测腻峁嘺, Subhadra and Bhadrasundara

1. Ekatalagopura (Single storeyed gateways):

There are three kinds of single-storeyed gateways prescribed for the construction of buildings viz., 艢谤颈办补谤补, 艢墨迟补, and 艢谤颈产丑补诲谤补. According to the Mayamata, the following features should be maintained to construct these kinds of gateways.

1.1. 艢谤墨办补谤补 type of single storeyed gateways:

The word 艣谤颈办补谤补 derived from the root 鈥�办峁�鈥� adding the suffix 鈥�ac鈥�. The 惫腻肠补蝉辫补迟测补 explain the word as follows-鈥�艣谤颈测补峁� 艣辞产丑腻峁� karoti iti 艣谤墨办补谤补.鈥�(痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟测补, vol.6. p-5158). Therefore, it may be said that this kind of gateways enhances the beauty of entire construction by its holistic features. The length of the gateway should be divided into two parts. The median passage of this gateway should be the half of the length. The remaining part is to be reserved for walls. In this type of gateway, the door is to be built in the middle. The shape of this gateway should be arranged like a three-level pavilion (Trivarga-尘补峁囜笉补辫补). The 艣谤颈办补谤补 gateways should be erected for palaces or temples. The word t峁泇arga尘补峁囜笉补辫补 indicates a pavilion consisting three levels of elevation:

Base, pillars, and entablature. It is said that鈥�

adhi峁ａ弓丑腻no paristambha prastara峁� ca trivargaka峁� |
kapotapratisa峁儁ukta峁� yat tanm峁囜笉apami峁�yate || (Mayamata 25.25)

[鈥淲hat is called a pavilion has three levels of elevation: base, pillars and entablature, and is provided with a frieze above the cornice.鈥漖^[3]

1.2. 艢墨迟补 type of single storeyed gateways:

The length of this gateway should be divided into four parts. One of them should be used to create a wide aisle (惭补丑腻惫腻谤补) all around the gateway, which attached with ploughshare walls (尝腻峁単补濒腻办腻谤补产丑颈迟迟颈). A stairway is to be raised above the aisle. This gateway should be oriented with a double elongated outward structure (顿耻蝉迟补办补峁�), pediment (惭耻办丑补辫补迟迟颈办腻), etc. A median pillar and a niche (狈腻蝉颈办腻) should be constructed above the center of the median pillar. The exterior wall of the wide aisle should be constructed with eight niches. It is said that this kind of gateway is suitable for the construction of villages. There is a general notion that this specific type of gateway is well-suited for village construction. For example, the wide aisle of the gateway could accommodate large gatherings or markets and the ploughshare walls could provides protection boundaries.

1.3. 艢谤颈产丑补诲谤补 type of single storeyed gateways:

The facade of this gateway should be constructed with a single elongated outward structure (碍腻苍补苍补办辞峁ａ弓丑补) that is attached with a pediment. This type of gateway is suitable for all types of building constructions.

2. Dvitalagopura (Gateways comprising two storeyed):

There are three types of two storeyed gateways discusses in the text Mayamata. They are鈥�

1. 谤补迟颈办腻苍迟补 type,
2. 办腻苍迟补惫颈箩补测补 type and
3. 蝉耻尘补峁単补濒补 type.

2.1. 搁补迟颈办腻苍迟补 type of gateways:

The width of this gateway should be divided into two parts, and the length into six parts. Maya specifies that in this gateway, the central room (苍腻濒颈驳峁沨补峁�) should be arranged with dimensions of one part in width and three parts in length. This gateway is surrounded by a wall, beyond which a one-part-wide aisle should be arranged. The exterior prolonging entablature of this gateway will be adorned with a pent-roof (驳辞辫腻苍补尘补帽肠补办补). The pent-roof is an indigenous roof structure that may be shaped like a rectangle or a circle, protecting the main structure of the building from heavy rainfall or snowfall. Maya prescribes that this gateway should be constructed with socle under the base of the construction. The exterior wall of this gateway should be decorated with eight niches (苍腻蝉补), which are to be built in front and behind the aisle. This particular gateway may or may not include a frontal structure (forepart), but it notably incorporates a dextrogyre stairway (辫谤腻诲补办峁�i苍补蝉辞辫腻苍补峁�) originating from the spacious aisle. Such gateways are believed to enhance the pleasures of all people and, are therefore called 谤补迟颈办腻苍迟补 gateways.

2.2. 碍腻苍迟补惫颈箩补测补 type of two storeyed gateways:

This is the second type of two-story gateway. The only difference from the 谤补迟颈办腻苍迟补 type is that there are four niches arranged within this gateway. It is suggested that this style of gateway enhances the beauty of the entire structure. 

Maya says that:

yat k膩ntavujaya峁� n膩mn膩 sarve峁�a峁� k膩ntivardhaka峁� | (Mayamata 30. 73 )

This is belief a common belief that the presence of four niches arranged within the gateway adds decorative and aesthetically pleasing elements to the overall design. The niches can display artwork, sculptures, or decorations and make the gateway visually appealing and impressive.

2.3. 厂耻尘补峁単补濒补 type of two storeyed gateways:

The roof of this gateway is almost flat (辫谤补丑墨峁嘺艣颈办丑补谤腻办腻谤补) and it should be decorated with 丑腻谤补 (丑腻谤辞辫别迟补峁�). The word 辫谤补丑墨峁嘺 is derived from the root 丑腻, the prefix pra and the suffix kta. The meaning of the root 丑腻 is to give up or to leave. Therefore, it may be similar to the word 尘耻峁囜笉腻办补谤补 (bald head), a type of shape of harmya. All four sides of the exterior wall of aisle should be decorated with niches. The term 蝉耻尘补峁単补濒补 often refers to auspiciousness, prosperity, or the attainment of good fortune. Therefore, a gateway designated as 蝉耻尘补峁単补濒补 signifies its role in bringing positive energy, blessings, or success to those who pass through it.

3. Tritalagopura (Construction of three storeyed gateways):

Maya classified the three storeyed gateways into three categories. They are-Mardala, 惭腻迟谤补办丑补峁囜笉补 and 艢谤颈苍颈办别迟补苍补.

3.1. Mardala type of gateways:

The width and length of the Mardala gateway should be calculated as six parts and four parts respectively. Within this gateway, a square-shaped room with one part wide, surrounded by walls with half part wide should be arranged. This type of room must be situated on both sides of the main passage. Additionally, a one-part wide aisle, with two niches on its outer walls, should be organized on all sides of the construction. Each side room should be connected with a stairway. A gutter (惫腻蝉迟补濒补) is to be constructed between the two sides of the gateway which should be equal the door in length. Maya suggests that this kind of gateway is suitable for the construction of royal palaces. Royal palaces typically require structures that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also pragmatic, strong and secure. The design of the Mardala gateway, that includes a spacious layout, multiple rooms, niches and connecting stairways, provides a suitable functionality for royal residences. The presence of a gutter between the two sides of the gateway serves the practical purposes such as drainage or defense from the enemies.

3.2. 惭腻迟谤补办丑补峁囜笉补 gateways:

The width of this type of gateway encompasses six parts, and for the length, it is of ten parts. A one-part wide room should be constructed on each side of the door. These rooms should all be surrounded by walls that are half a part thick. Additionally, a one-part wide aisle is to be arranged within this gateway. A gutter, with a width equal to that of the rooms, should be constructed between these two rooms. A one-part wide gallery should encircle the entire construction. The roof structure is mostly flat and must be adorned with 丑腻谤补, which likely refers to a harmya (building) with a roof resembling a bald head.

The exterior wall of the aisle should be adorned with fourteen niches. Other elements such as the door, stairway, median passage, etc., should be constructed as suitable for the gateway. These are the common features of the 尘腻迟谤颈办丑补峁囜笉补 type of gateways, which, according to may brings victory to the king.

3.3. 艢谤墨苍颈办别迟补苍补 gateways:

The width of this gateway should be measured at eight parts, and its length at ten parts. A two-part wide median passage is to be built, surrounded by a one-part wide wall. Additionally, a small aisle (half part wide) should be arranged within, encircled by a one-part wide gallery. Another one-part outside aisle is to be built in this construction with a one-part wide exterior wall. The gateway should be arranged with a twopart wide square outward structure (办奴迟补), and the elongated room should measure six parts on its long side and four parts on its shorter side. A onepart wide 肠奴濒补丑补谤尘测补 is to be placed between the 办奴迟补 and the elongated room. It is also prescribed that a gutter should be built between the outward structure and the elongated part of the construction. 

Maya states that鈥�

丑腻r膩 b丑腻gena kartavy膩 肠奴濒补丑补谤尘测补samanvit膩 |
jalasthala峁� tadeb膩hu岣� k奴峁璦艣腻濒腻ntare'pi v膩 || (Mayamata 30.87 )

A half-part-wide pent-roof, which extends to the entablature, is to be constructed. It should have a wide aisle decorated with eight niches on its outside wall. The shape of the roof resembles a sloping-wagon type, with the length dimension being double that of its width. It should be oriented with a two-part-wide niche in the front side and back of the construction.

Maya says that鈥�

艣ikhara峁� 办辞峁ａ弓丑补k膩k膩ram膩y膩m膩rdhena vistara峁� ||
尘耻办丑别鈥檓耻办丑别 ma丑腻n膩si dvib丑腻gavist峁泃膩nvita峁� | (Mayamata 30.90-91)

If necessary, an entrance connected to a median pillar should be organized on each storey. This gateway should also be arranged with a socle, variously designed pillars, etc.

4. Catustalagopura (Four storeyed gateways):

The features of four-storeyed gateways are more or less similar to the five-storeyed gateways. The length and width of this gateway should be divided into two parts. There are only two wide aisles (ma丑腻v膩ra). The square outward structure (办奴迟补) and elongated aediculae (办辞峁ａ弓丑补) should be equal to the three storeyed gateways. Additionally, three categories have been found in this kind of gateway, viz., Lalita, 碍补濒测腻苍补, and Komala. These all are suitable for the villages and royal palaces.

5. 笔补帽肠补迟补濒补驳辞辫耻谤补 (Five storeyed gateways):

The width and length of the five storeyed gateways should be the same, each consisting of fourteen parts. The central room of the construction is to be surrounded by a wall. The aisle and exterior wall should be half of the total width. The exterior aisle and its wall should occupy one part of the width. Above that aisle (补峁単补苍补), a two-part wide square aedicula (蝉补耻峁ａ弓丑颈办补) is to be arranged.

Maya mentions that鈥�

a峁単a峁卐 蝉补耻峁ａ弓丑颈办补dvaya峁兣沘峁� 艣腻濒腻y膩峁� 峁�a岣峚峁兣沘ka峁� |
jalasthala峁� trib丑腻gena k奴峁璦艣腻濒腻ntare vidu岣� || (Mayamata 30. 112 )

Here, the term 补峁単补苍补 is analogous to alinda. An elongated room, which is six parts wide, should be incorporated into this construction. A gutter, two parts wide, should be constructed between the square outward and the elongated room. This gateway should be adorned with three aisles. Again, this kind of gateway has three categories; viz., 艢谤颈肠肠丑补苍诲补, 艢r墨vi艣腻濒补, and Vijaya.

6. Six storeyed gateways:

Maya suggests that the six-storeyed gateways should be arranged in the same manner as the seven-storeyed gateways are to be constructed. The exclusion of the lower storey converts it into a six-storeyed gateway. Three types of six-storeyed gateways are mentioned in the text Mayamata, viz., Subala, 厂耻办耻尘腻谤补, and Sundara.

7. Seven Storeyed gateways:

Maya classifies the seven storeyed gateways into three categories. They are-产丑补诲谤补办补濒测腻峁嘺, subhadra and bhadrasundara. Here, we present the special features of these gateways.

7.1. 叠丑补诲谤补办补濒测腻峁嘺 type of gateways:

The width and length of this gateway should be measured as fourteen parts and sixteen parts, respectively. There is a central passage (苍腻濒颈驳峁沨补) with the width of two parts and length of six parts, and is surrounded by a wall. Four aisles (alindra), each passing width of two parts, should be constructed within this gateway. Additionally, half-part-wide 丑腻谤补s should be arranged on all four sides of this gateway. A surrounding gallery, one part wide, should also be included in this 产丑补诲谤补办补濒测腻峁嘺 gateway. A wall (辫补谤颈迟辞鈥檒颈苍苍诲谤补) of this gateway should be measured as one part. It is to be noted that the exterior wall of this gateway is to be measured as half a part wide, and two sides of this wall should be decorated in a 辫补帽箩补谤补 shape (literally cage or aviary).

A sterobate should be placed at the bottom edge of every upper storey. The third storey of this gateway is to be adorned with various building elements. Similarly, engaged structures, gutters, etc., on each and every storey of this gateway, should be constructed with four aisles.

At the middle of the door on each upper storey, a pillar should be placed. The ridge should be arranged at the summit of roof with an odd number of finials (stupika).

The other significant elements of this gateway are arcatures (迟辞谤补峁嘺), latticed windows (箩腻濒补办补), and dormer windows (办峁�u诲谤补苍墨岣峚). On the exterior wall of the aisle, a niche should be built at every storey.

Maya says that鈥�

迟辞谤补峁嘺irj膩likai岣� 办峁�u诲谤补苍墨岣峚i岣� samyag vicitrita峁� |
tale tale ma丑腻bare yukty膩 ny膩sa峁単asa峁儁uta峁� || (Mayamata 30.101)

A connecting stairway is to be constructed for climbing to the several socles. It is prescribed that to connect several storeys, a stairway should be arranged conveniently. Thus, the 产丑补诲谤补办补濒测腻苍补 type of gateway should be built according to 惫腻蝉迟耻 rules.

7.2. Subhadra type of gateways:

The term Subhadra signifies that this type of construction must be adorned with elegant features. In this style, the middle and sides of the roof are embellished with niches, which should also be incorporated in the front and at back part of the structure.

7.3. Bhadrasundara type of gateways:

Above the central passage, there is a gutter that measures two parts in width. This gateway is to be constructed with an aedicule (蝉补耻峁ａ弓丑颈办补). Additionally, four dormer windows, each two parts wide, should be placed on either side of the gateway and attached to the aedicule. The gateway has the width of sixteen parts and length of eighteen parts. Maya specifies that:

dvira峁ａ弓advinav膩峁兣沞na vyase par艣ve niyojayet |
svavy膩sa峁兣沘峁� caturb丑腻ge'pyadhika峁� sy膩ttad膩yata峁� || (Mayamata 30.107 )

The other features of this gateway can be arranged according to the requirement of the construction. Thus, the bhadrasundara type of gateway should be made by a learned sthapati.

The description provides us the minute details that denote how the doors and gopura are to be built. The 惫腻蝉迟耻k膩ras not only emphasize on the dimensions of the construction but also project the religious practices through it and beliefs. These structures carry cultural significance and play significant roles in traditional belief. The specific design of the construction reflects the traditions of a particular society. The inclusion of architectural elements like niches and dormer windows adds visual appeal and highlights the remarkable aspects of ancient design. Gopuras, with their towering structures and prominent visual placement, stand as iconic symbols of South Indian temple and residential architecture.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

P.K. Acharya, A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture, series.1. p. 174.

[2]:

S.P. Sabharathnam Sivacharyar, 碍腻尘颈办腻驳补尘补, p.554

[3]:

B. Dagens, Mayamata, vol.2. p.457