Photo 212/1(16)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Close view showing sculptural detail, of unfinished gopura at the eastern entrance to the Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple at Madurai. The print surface is slightly crazed from shrinkage of the collodion negative. Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '265 - This Gateway was commenced by Trimul Nayak, but was never finished. It is not so lofty as that at Seringham (151), but the carvings are much more elaborate. It is built of granite, and is 174 feet from north to south, and 107 feet from east lowest. The entrance is 21 feet 9 inches in width; height 31 feet 7 inches. The depth of the foundations is not known. Excavations were made to the depth of 13 and a half feet, but further progress was stopped by the water. The most wonderful part of the work is seen in the four monolithic pillars; these are nearly 60 feet long, and elegantly ornamented. The lower part of the pillars, with the recess between them, is shown in this Photograph. On the base of one of these pillars is a figure of Subramuni, the Guardian of Towers, to whom worship is still sometimes paid. The unfinished state of the building is said to have resulted from his displeasure.' Another copy at Photo 1000/29(2915).