gopura
/ˈɡəʊpʊrə
/(also gopuram /ˈɡəʊpʊrəm/)
noun
(In southern India) a large pyramidal tower over the entrance gate to a temple precinct: smoke from the burning ghats drifted like mist among the gopuras...
- The Virupaksha temple has beautiful gopurams, and on the way there is the King's Balance on which he was weighed against gold and diamonds which were then distributed to the people.
- The tall spires of the Bodh Gaya temple is different from the gopurams of the south.
- This was the genesis of the famous gopurams, or entrance gateways of the temple cities of the south.
Origin
Mid 19th century: Sanskrit gōpura 'city gate', from gō 'eye' and pura 'city'.