Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram

The Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram near Kumbakonam was built by the Chola king Rajaraja II in the 12th century CE. It forms part of the 'Great Living Chola Temples' UNESCO World Heritage cluster.

Though smaller than its siblings at Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Darasuram is acclaimed for the exceptional delicacy of its stone carvings. The temple's mandapa is designed as a chariot drawn by horses — a motif also seen at Konark — with wheels and horses carved at the base.

The compound includes a sunken pool, subsidiary shrines, and an inscription gallery. The temple remains an active place of worship and is considered one of the finest examples of late Chola decorative stonework in existence.