▁po ets ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁N ay an m ars ▁and ▁class ified ▁as ▁Pa adal ▁Pet ra ▁S th al am . ▁ ▁The ▁temple ▁complex ▁covers ▁two ▁acres ▁and ▁it ▁houses ▁a ▁five ▁tier ▁gateway ▁tower ▁known ▁as ▁g op ur ams , ▁one ▁facing ▁the ▁A paths ah es war ar ▁shr ine ▁and ▁other ▁towards ▁North . ▁The ▁temple ▁has ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁shr ines , ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁A paths ah es war ar ▁and ▁his ▁cons ort ▁E lav ark uz h ali ▁being ▁the ▁most ▁prominent . ▁ ▁The ▁temple ▁has ▁six ▁daily ▁rit uals ▁at ▁various ▁times ▁from ▁ 6 : 0 0   a . m . ▁to ▁ 8 : 3 0   p . m ., ▁and ▁four ▁year ly ▁festiv als ▁on ▁its ▁calendar . ▁The ▁Bra hm ots avam ▁festival ▁celebrated ▁during ▁Ch itt ira i ▁( A pril – May ) ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁festival . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁complex ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁built ▁by ▁Ch olas , ▁while ▁the ▁present ▁m ason ry ▁structure ▁was ▁built ▁during ▁the ▁N ay ak ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁In ▁modern ▁times , ▁the ▁temple ▁is ▁maintained ▁and ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁the ▁H indu ▁Relig ious ▁and ▁Char itable ▁End ow ments ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁T amil ▁N adu . ▁ ▁Architecture ▁The ▁temple ▁has ▁a ▁ 5 - t ier ▁ra j ag op ur am ▁surrounded ▁by ▁two ▁p rak