Airavatesvara Temple - Darasuram
Lord Indra’s mount Airavata (the Elephant) became white
in colour after taking a dip in the temple tank and hence the name of the Deity
is Airavateswavara.
Airavatesvara Temple is
a Hindu temple of Chola architecture located in the town
of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam. This temple, built by Rajaraja
Chola II in the 12th century CE has a Mukhamandapam or Vimanam
which is taller than the Rajagopuram, as in Brihadeeswara Temple at
Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda
Cholapuram & Kampahareshwara temple at Tirubuvanam. These 4 temples are referred
to as the Great Living Chola Temples.
The Airavatesvarar temple is dedicated to Shiva. It also enshrines Vaishnavism and Shaktism cults
of Hinduism, along with the legends of Nayanars – the Bhakti
movement saints of Shaivism.
The stone temple is in the structure of a chariot drawn
by horses & elephants. Shiva's consort has a dedicated shrine called the
Periya Nayaki Amman temple.
The temple has a water tank that has a connected channel
which brings in the Kaveri River water into the Tank. The local mythology
narrates how Airavata, Indra's elephant was bestowed & blessed with white skin
after it took a dip in this tank. This legend is carved in stone in the inner
shrine, and the Deity derives his name from the elephant Airavata –
Airavateshwara.
The Airavatesvara temple is another square plan structure
completed in 1166 CE. The Nandi mandapa and the stambha are found outside
of this main temple courtyard and they are aligned with the main temple's
east-west axis. It is classified as Karakkoil, a temple fashioned after temple
chariots which are taken in procession around the temple during festivals. The agara-mandapa is called
the Rajagambhiran-tiru-mandapam after
the king. This hall is shaped like a chariot, provided with stone horses
and wheels.
The Agara(frontal)
mandapa has ornately carved steps that go from east to west. On its
east, outside the main podium, is the bali-pitham. The steps leading to It are unique, it is
intricately carved. When one walks or steps on them, they produce a musical
note. They are therefore called the "singing steps".
The reliefs all along the base of the main temple narrate
the stories of the sixty three Shaiva Bhakti saints called Nayanars. These
stories are found in the Periya
Purana by Sekkilar. On the outer walls of the main sanctum are sculpture
niches, five on each side, with the middle one larger than others. They show
various Hindu deities, with the middle one of each side showing Shiva in
different aspects.[15]
There are sculptures for river goddesses like Cauvery,
Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari and Narmada. Another inscription close to the gopura, records that these images
were brought from Basavakalyan, then known as Kalyanapura by
emperor Rajadhiraja Chola I after his defeat of the Western
Chalukya king Someshwara I, his sons Vikramaditya VI and
Someshwara II his capture of the Chalukyan capital.
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