ams , ▁typically ▁constructed ▁into ▁multiple ▁walls ▁in ▁t iers ▁around ▁the ▁main ▁shr ine . ▁ ▁Raj ag op ur am ▁indicates ▁the ▁prime ▁one ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁g op ur ams ▁within ▁the ▁temple . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁typically ▁the ▁most ▁commonly ▁used ▁gateway ▁and ▁the ▁tall est ▁of ▁all . ▁ ▁Main ▁De ities ▁ ▁L ing am ▁ ▁The ▁L ing am ▁( also , ▁L ing a , ▁L ing , ▁Sh iva ▁ling a , ▁Sh iv ▁ling , ▁S ansk rit ▁ ल ि <0xE0> <0xA4> <0x99> ् ग ं ▁, ▁meaning ▁" mark " ▁or ▁" sign ") ▁is ▁a ▁representation ▁of ▁the ▁H indu ▁de ity ▁Sh iva ▁used ▁for ▁worship ▁in ▁H indu ▁temple . ▁ ▁The ▁ling am ▁is ▁the ▁principal ▁de ity ▁in ▁most ▁Sh iva ▁tem ples ▁in ▁South ▁India . ▁ ▁The ▁ling am ▁is ▁often ▁represented ▁with ▁the ▁Y oni , ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁god dess ▁or ▁of ▁Sh ak ti , ▁female ▁cre ative ▁energy . ▁The ▁union ▁of ▁ling am ▁and ▁y oni ▁represents ▁the ▁" ind iv is ible ▁two - in - on eness ▁of ▁male ▁and ▁female , ▁the ▁pass ive ▁space ▁and ▁active ▁time ▁from ▁which ▁all ▁life ▁origin ates ". ▁A ▁complement ary ▁theory ▁suggests ▁that ▁the ▁L ing am ▁represents ▁the ▁beginning ▁and ▁ending ▁St amb ha ▁pill ar ▁symbol izing ▁the ▁infinite ▁nature ▁of ▁Sh iva . ▁The ▁propag ation ▁of ▁ling a ▁worship ▁on ▁a ▁large ▁scale