Seeringham: Great Pagoda, Munduppum inside Gateway

Seeringham and Trichinopoly were the sites of ferocious battles in the mid-eighteenth century, with the British fighting against the French (who had formed their own East India Company in 1664) and their Indian allies. These cities were also the locations of some of south India’s most sacred temples, including the Ranganatha Temple, known as the Great Pagoda, one of the largest in India, covering about 150 acres. For this photograph, Tripe placed his camera at the exact center of the north—south axis of the temple to depict one of a series of perfectly aligned gateways. On both sides of the road are thatched houses and shops selling offerings such as fruit and vegetables for the deities.