Gopuram' meant
1. Royal Gateways
2. Royal Stairs
3. Royal Temples
4. Royal Bath

1

Gopurams were Royal Gateways. They can be seen from distance and showed the power of kings.  The raya gopurams or royal gateways were an important structure and must have been a mark of imperial authority. Krishnadeva Raya credited with the construction of the eastern gopuram of the Viruaksha temple.