In the given question, a statement of Assertion is followed by a statement of Reason. Mark the correct answer.

Assertion: In temple architecture, the raya gopurams or royal gateways were an important structure and must have been a mark of imperial authority.

Reason: They were probably meant as reminders of the power of kings, able to command the resources, techniques, and skills needed to construct these towering gateways.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The correct answer is Option 1 - Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The Reason correctly explains why the Assertion is true. The grandeur and scale of the raya gopurams served as a visual representation of the king's capability to mobilize extensive resources and talent, reinforcing the notion of imperial authority. Therefore, the Reason provides a valid and supportive explanation for the Assertion.

The Vijayanagara Empire:
In terms of temple architecture, by this period certain new features were in evidence. These included structures of immense scale that must have been a mark of imperial authority, best exemplified by the raya gopurams or royal gateways that often dwarfed the towers on the central shrines, and signalled the presence of the temple from a great distance. They were also probably meant as reminders of the power of kings, able to command the resources, techniques and skills needed to construct these towering gateways. Other distinctive features include mandapas or pavilions and long, pillared corridors that often ran around the shrines within the temple complex. Let us look at two temples more closely – the Virupaksha temple and the Vitthala temple.