Airavatesvara Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the nearest airport with regular services, about 90 km away.

• By road

  The temple is on highway 22, which connects to Tiruchirappalli, and highway 36, which links it to Thanjavur.

Why devotees come here

Airavatesvara Temple is a Shiva temple in Darasuram, a suburb of Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. Chola emperor Rajaraja II built it in the 12th century, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, added in 2004 as one of the Great Living Chola Temples.

Local mythology says Airavata, Indra's white elephant, regained clean white skin after bathing in the temple's tank. The legend says the temple takes its name from him. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and is a Hindu temple of Chola architecture.

King Rajaraja Chola II built the temple. He ruled the Chola Empire from 1146 to 1172 CE, and the main temple was completed in 1166 CE. Inscriptions show that the temple once had seven streets and seven courts, similar to the Srirangam temple. Only one court, the one with the main temple, survives. The ruined main gateway, the Mahadwara, was reassembled by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The inner sanctum is a square about 12 metres on each side, with thick walls. Above it, the pyramidal tower, the vimana, rises 24 metres. Of the three great Chola temples, this one stands out for its intricate sculptures. It is classed as a Karak Koil, a temple designed after the chariots used in festival processions.

Festivals

• Every year in Magha monthMagha month

  Large numbers of Hindu pilgrims come every year, and special pujas are held for some images, including Durga and Shiva.

Tips for your visit

• The temple has two sundials, one for morning and one for evening, carved to look like chariot wheels.
• Reliefs along the base of the main temple narrate the stories of the Nayanars, the Shaiva saints.
• The carved steps in front of the hall are called singing steps, because they produce musical notes.

Questions people ask