Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Origin of the Name - The lingam is believed to have been worshipped by Indra’s white Elephant (Airavatham) and hence the name ‘Airavateshwarar’.

The temple faces East direction and built in Dravidian style of architecture. The Vimana is about 24 Meters high, with five diminishing tiers. Above the fifth tier rests the circular griva with niches at the cardinal points flanked by outfacing Nandis at the corners, and surmounted by a dome, the sikhara and metal stupa. The Vimana over the sanctum sanctorum is 80 Feet tall. At the very entrance to the temple two Dwarapalakas, Sankhanidhi and Padmanidhi are imposing figures, giving vivid anatomical expressions of the exuberance of youth. On the temple walls all the dancing poses of Bharatnatyam are carved in the stone. They are referred to as the Sodasa Upasaras. There is a carving showing the village womenfolk helping in the delivery of another female, who has both her hands on the shoulders of the two ladies, who are pressing their hands and the abdomen of the lady to help her deliver. Inscriptions containing the name, description and images of the 63 Saivacharya (Saivite saints), sculptures for river Goddesses Cauvery, Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari and Narmada, Buddha, Bhikshatana, Saraswathi without her Veena, Ardhanarishwara Brahma and Surya are a few to mention in this art gallery of a temple. Several inscriptions pertaining to the periods of Chola and Pandya Dynasties are found here at Airavateeswara Darasuram.

Mandapams - The front mandapa is known as the Rajagambhiran Thirumandapam with its Southern exterior in the form of a huge chariot with large stone wheels drawn by Horses. There is a small mandapa with three steps and when tapped in different spots the Saptha Swara’s (7 musical notes) can be hear. At the entrance there is a beautiful mandapa with a number of pillars approached through an extension towards the South, and equipped with flights of steps to the East and West. The exteriors of the balustrades for these steps are exquisitely decorated with a long curling trunk coming out of a lionhead; and a similar design running parallel to the trunk of an Elephant, lost in the open jaws of a makara whose floriated tail is curled up, to balance the complete design. The mandapa's eight outer pillars are supported by squatting yalis with their trunks curled up and pronounced abaci; while the lotus-petal decorations below have prominent petal-tips. The pillar capitals, like other pillars in the mandapa, show the beginnings of the bodhika-decoration, which, in late Chola and Vijayanagara periods, develops into the lotus-decoration. Each of the four inner pillars is divided into sections, three oblong and two polygonal. The decoration, which later develops into the Naga-bandha, is just discernable and, as in other early Chola structures, consists of a pattern of doublegeese. The rectangular portions of the pillars are decorated with small panels illustrating mythological stories such as the attack of Manmatha, the penance of Parvati, the prayer of the Gods for a son of Shiva, the birth of Kumara, Siva's marriage, his fight with the asuras and more. On four pillars that lead to the extension of the mandapa there are short and repeated inscriptions describing it as Svasti Sri Rajagambhiran tirumandapam.

Raja-gambhiram tiru-mandapam after Rajaraja-II, this Agramandapa is conceived as the chariot of Tripurantaka - with wheels, hubs and spokes carved in relief, drawn by caparisoned Horses. The base of the mandapa extension is decorated in front with panels of Shiva fighting the Tripuras from his chariot, and Shiva as Kalantaka fighting Yama to protect the son of Mrikandu, whom he had blessed with a long life, Shiva burning Kama, who dared attack Shiva with his flowery bow and arrow, as Kama's lovely queens, including Rati, and other Gods pray for his life and the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice by Virabhadra. Above this, at intervals in five niches, are Agni, Indra, Brahma, Vishnu and Vayu, all were standing with hands in the attitude of reverence towards Shiva. It should be noted that the original plan of the steps East of the mandapa has been spoilt by later renovations, and their original symmetry is now lost.

The main mandapa is a continuation of the Mukhamandapa of the main shrine. The outer faces of its walls on the Northern side and on the extreme ends of the Eastern and Southern sides, as in other parts of the temple, are covered with the usual pattern of niches and pilasters. The outer walls of the second mandapa are entirely closed and all its pillars are inside. Here too the outer walls are decorated with a pattern of alternating niches and pilasters, with a main niche for every pair of subsidiary niches. The main mandapa is decorated to the East with a pair of dwarf yakshas guarding Padma and Sankhanidhis in niches on either side. These figures, like all the other special forms of deities in the niches, are made of fine-grained black basalt, thus distinguished from the lighter coloured granite used in the rest of the structure. The pillars of the first (main) mandapa have beautiful patterns of decorative creepers so arranged that the circular medallions created contain figures dancing in diverse poses, musicians and sometimes even forms of deities such as Gangadhara and Tripurantaka. These figures also adorn panels arranged in tiers of niches and salas on the sides of other pillars. Even where the pillars have purely decorative patterns, such figures, mostly in dance-poses or playing musical instruments are deftly introduced into them. The ceiling has square and rectangular patterns, bands of which are all filled with decorative designs. Almost all the central medallions contain similar dancing and musical groups. The pillar-capitals here bear the precursors of the bodhika-type and the ornamental precursors of the naga-bandha are also visible.

In the next mandapa, which leads to the ardha-mandapa and the main shrine, there are niches containing Devi with lotus, Ratna-kalasa (pot filled with gems) and Nandikesvara standing with hands in adoration on one side and Saint Kannappa and seated Sarasvati on the other. The centre of the Northern side has been improvised into a cell for Devi. The chauri-holding dvara-palikas, fixed on either side of the improvised doorway, are lovely and belong to the same period as the other fine sculptures arranged in the niches of the main temple. The pillars in the mandapa adjoining the main one are somewhat simpler, not with standing their polygonal shape, the flower-petal decorations at intervals and the corbels, which recall the Chalukya type. The Mukha mandapa is approached by long flights of steps from the North and South, and marks the end of the mandapas and the beginning of the main shrine. Here there is a couchant Nandi, smaller than the one at the start of the main mandapa. The dvarapalas of the main shrine are depicted as furious and armed with huge clubs. Their four hands are in the threatening attitude (tarjani), they have tusks and carry trisulas on their bound-up hair, which is decorated with the lion-head design. The garland-decoration of their yajnopavita also recalls Chalukya influence. There is a koneru named as Yama theertham.