▁N adu , ▁India . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁open ▁to ▁tour ists ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁closed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁following ▁a ▁perce ived ▁threat ▁from ▁the ▁Liber ation ▁Tig ers ▁of ▁T amil ▁E el am . ▁The ▁first ▁light ▁was ▁commission ed ▁here ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁The ▁l ighth ouse , ▁with ▁a ▁circular ▁m ason ry ▁tower ▁made ▁of ▁natural ▁stone , ▁became ▁fully ▁functional ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 . ▁India ' s ▁oldest ▁l ighth ouse , ▁built ▁around ▁ 6 4 0 ▁AD ▁by ▁Pal lava ▁king ▁Mah endra ▁Pal lava ▁stands ▁next ▁to ▁this ▁modern ▁structure . ▁The ▁Pal lava ▁era ▁l ighth ouse ▁is ▁a ▁protected ▁monument , ▁maintained ▁by ▁the ▁Arch ae ological ▁Survey ▁of ▁India . ▁ ▁O lak ane es w ara ▁Temple ▁ ▁This ▁temple ▁was ▁dedicated ▁to ▁lord ▁S iva . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁eigh teenth ▁century ▁or ▁in ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century , ▁the ▁s ival ing a ▁was ▁possibly ▁removed ▁by ▁some ▁v and als . ▁A ▁gran ite ▁roof ▁was ▁constructed ▁at op ▁the ▁temple ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁light ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁ ▁Gallery ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁▁ ▁List ▁of ▁l ighth ouses ▁in ▁India ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁ ▁Director ate ▁General ▁of ▁L ighth ouses ▁and ▁Light ships ▁ ▁Category : L ighth ouses ▁in