▁to ▁their ▁northern ▁counter parts . ▁ ▁Other ▁Struct ur als ▁ ▁D v aj as th amba ▁and ▁P ali ▁Pe ed am ▁▁ ▁Near ▁the ▁main ▁entrance ▁of ▁the ▁temple ▁are ▁situated ▁the ▁D v aj as th amba , ▁sacrific ial ▁alt ar ▁called ▁p ali ▁pe ed am ▁and ▁vehicle ▁called ▁v ah an am ▁facing ▁the ▁main ▁de ity . ▁ ▁P ali ▁Pe ed am ▁or ▁alt ar ▁is ▁for ▁offering ▁- ▁Sh iva ▁tem ples ▁being ▁veget arian , ▁the ▁offering ▁is ▁usually ▁flowers ▁and ▁cook ed ▁rice . ▁ ▁Most ▁Sh iva ▁tem ples ▁in ▁South ▁India ▁have ▁one ▁in ▁each ▁direction ▁and ▁some ▁have ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 8 ▁for ▁the ▁ 8 ▁directions . ▁ ▁The ▁usual ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁alt ar ▁is ▁a ▁stone ▁of ▁mas an ory ▁on ▁a ▁platform ▁to pped ▁by ▁lot if arm ▁alt ar , ▁called ▁the ▁lot us ▁alt ar . ▁ ▁The ▁lot if arm ▁alt ar ▁has ▁a ▁base , ▁a ▁cup ▁sh aped ▁ups ide ▁down ▁over ▁it ▁and ▁lot us ▁like ▁pet als ▁from ▁the ▁fr ills ▁that ▁w iden ▁towards ▁the ▁base . ▁ ▁The ▁lot if ram ▁shape ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁sym bo le ▁of ▁prosper ity ▁and ▁hence ▁this ▁is ▁considered ▁b had ra ▁ling a ▁or ▁the ▁prosper our ▁ling am . ▁D v aj as th amba ▁is ▁the ▁flag ▁tree ▁of ▁flag ▁pole . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁cyl ind rical ▁structure ▁usually ▁located ▁after ▁the