This is a six-tiered model of a 'gopuram' illustrating Shaiviate (devotees of Shiva) iconography. A gopuram represents the entrance to a temple in south India. It has a wagon vaulted roof topped with 'kalasha' (pots). The carving is quite detailed and bears a high quality of craftsmanship.By the medieval period, due to royal patronage, the height of the gopurams increased tremendously. Some of the tallest gopurams can be seen at Gangai Konda Cholapuram and at Shrirangam, in South India. This model was most likely a 19th-century souvenir made for a British colonial officer of the Madras Presidency.
