Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/419

 CHAP. IV. TIRUVALUR. 367 The nucleus here was a small village temple (Woodcut No. 216), drawn to the same scale as the plan of Tanjor in Woodcut No. 212. It is a double shrine, dedicated to Valmikesvara or Siva and his consort, standing in a cloistered court which measures 191 ft. by 156 ft. over all, and has one gopuram in front. On the south is a shrine of Tyagaraja-swami. The central shrine is said to belong to the early years of the I5th century; but there are some defaced inscriptions of Rajaraja I. and Rajendra Chola (A.D. 985-1018) on the small shrine of 2I 6. innerTempie Achale^vara, which may be the oldest portion at Timvaiur. ., . ,1 ,i. . /. Scale 200 ft. to i in. now existing ; otherwise there is nothing to distinguish it from the ordinary temples found in every village. It, however, at some subsequent period became sacred or rich, and a second court was added, measuring about 470 ft. each way, with two gopurams, higher than the original one, and containing within its walls numberless little shrines and porches. Additions 217. Temple at Tiruvalur. (From a Drawing in Ram Raz's ' Hindu Architecture.') were again made at some subsequent date, the whole being enclosed in a court 957 ft. by 726 ft. this time with five gopurams, of which those on the west and east or front are respectively 101 and 118 feet high, and containing several