MADURAI

Generally the eastern and western towers of Siva temples are the most important. But in Madurai the eastern tower is permanently closed. It is considered to be the oldest gopuram having inscriptions of the periods of King Sundara Pandya. It is almost an abandoned passage due to an incident that happened during the reign of Chockanatha Naick. It is said that the Palace officials levied unauthorised taxes on the temple servants. The servants felt that unless one of them committed suicide by way of protest, jumping from the top of the gopuram, this unwanted levy would not be stopped. It is said that one of the temple servants jumped from the top of the gopuram and was killed.

His ghost is supposed to be haunting the
gate.Subsequently it was very much
neglected and rarely opened. Further, after the incident the unjust tax was immediately withdrawn. At the foot of the tower there are the famous 18 steps running down from the foot of God Karuppaswami to the gate.""

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