Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram
Lord Airavatesvara (Shiva)
Darasuram, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu
12th-century Chola jewel with musical steps and a chariot-shaped mandapa; one of the Great Living Chola Temples.
History
Built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century. Legend says Indra's white elephant Airavata worshipped Shiva here. The front mandapa is designed as a chariot with stone wheels, and the steps at the entrance produce musical notes when tapped. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing with Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
Festivals
- Maha Shivaratri
Videos
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Plan your visit
Weather at the temple
Directions to Airavatesvara Temple
How to reach
- By air
- Tiruchirappalli Airport, about 90 km
- By train
- Kumbakonam, about 4 km
- By road
- TNSTC / SETC buses and taxis from the nearest town.
Near the temple
Rooms, food, bus stands, railway stations, ATMs, hospitals, parkingPlaces come from OpenStreetMap and may be incomplete. Each list has a Google Maps link for more.