Jambukeshvara temple on the island of Srirangam - 1858

Photograph of a a palm-shaded street towards the distant west gopura of the Jambukeshvara temple on the island of Srirangam, taken by Linnaeus Tripe (1822-1902) in 1858. This sacred complex dates mostly from the 17th century Nayaka period and is consecrated to Shiva. The innermost sanctuary stands in the centre of four concentric enclosures entered through seven pyramidal gateways or gopuras covered with elaborate sculptures painted in bright colours.Tripe was in charge of one of the battalions of the 12th Madras Native Infantry, a regiment funded in 1824 and stationed in Madras. In 1855, Tripe was commissioned to take photographs for the British East India Company and the Madras Presidency which resulted in six albums, one of which is of Srirangam.

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