Torana Arch

While navigating from outside to inside of the temple, one reaches first at the outer most arch (Torana) at the entrance to the temple. This was probably built by the Maratha ruler Shivaji II, around 1850 A.D. The five images one notices from the south are Candikesvara, Ganesa, Candrasekhara with Uma, Tani Amman, and Subrahmanya. The five images in the centre of the arch reminds us of the Pancamurtis, the processional images of the temple taken out, during the great festivals.
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