We will now find the research data about Darasuram Iravadeswarar Temple in the coming pages. After exploring Gangaikonda Cholapuram we traveled to Darasuram that evening. As it was night time, we decided to stay at Kumbakonam for the night and go to Darasuram the next morning. Later, while going to the lodging place after eating there, the shops on both sides of the road were selling things like bronze lamp , horse and Swami idols. As I love horses, I bought a horse statue as a token of my visit.
The next morning we left from there and traveled towards Darasuram which was a 15 minute drive from Kumbakonam.
The name of this Darasuram temple is known as Iravadeswarar. The word Airavatam refers to Indra’s elephant. It is mentioned there that the temple got its name as Airavatheswarar because Indra’s elephant worshiped Shiva and got rid of the curse , and besides that, Emadarmaraja also worshiped Shiva in this temple.
The temple was built during the reign of Rajaraja Chola II, a later Chola. There is a notice board showing the lineage of the Cholas so that we can know who this Rajaraja II is.
Rajendra Cholan I was succeeded by Rajati Rajan. He was succeeded by Rajendran Chola II for a short period of time. It is said that after that the successor Rajendra Chola ll also died in a short period of time and there were internal disturbances in the Chola country.I don’t know exactly what happened in these intervening periods. I will research it clearly and let you know later in my Chola rise and fall in my eyes topic,
At that time, the sister of Rajendra Chola I was given in marriage to the Lower Chalukya king Vimaladitya. Next to that, Ammanga Devi, the daughter of Rajendra Chola I, was also married to Rajaraja Narendra, the Chalukya king below Chola rule. Their successor was Kulothungan I who ruled for a very long time. He ruled from AD1070 till 1122AD . But it was during his reign that the Chola Empire shrank in size but remained mainly peaceful from wars.
After the first Kulothungan, Vikrama Cholan came to power. He ruled till 1135AD. After that Kulothunga Chola II. 1133 AD. They ruled till 1150 AD.
After that Rajarajan II 1146AD to 1163AD. It was during his period that this Darasuram Airavatheswarar Temple was built.
I have uploaded a photo of the notice board about the historical connections of these Cholas on the fourth page. You can read it for more details on Cholas.
Historical documents tell us that this temple was built during the reign of Rajaraja Chola II. The sculptures in this temple are different because it was built almost a hundred years after the period of Rajaraja Chola who built the great temple of Tanjore.
The temple is under the control of the Department of Archaeology. The outer premises of the temple are well maintained with green lawns.
This temple is smaller in size than the temples built by the Cholas before it. Although smaller in size than temples like the Tanjore Periya Kovil , Gangaikonda Cholapuram for example. It is no exaggeration to say that this temple has taken sculpture to the next dimension.
A lot of changes are visible between the sculptures in this temple and the sculptures in the Tanjore Great Temple. The temple built almost a hundred years later can clearly see the progress in sculpture and its scale.
All the sculptures in this temple are very rich and very finely made and look like marble although it is not actually marble. I don’t know exactly who was the sculptor who built this temple. Next time I think I should explore that sculptor.
Apart from that, each pillar in this temple can be said to be an art treasure. They are so finely carved. The idol of Arthanatheeswarar , with Shiva and Parvati is exquisitely carved in black stone. There is also a statue of a sage here as we saw in the great temple of Tanjore. This sage may have been the King’s Guru.
The finger-sized sculptures carved on the pillars in this temple are all very finely carved. The stones used in this temple are different with red clay color.
The stones used in the temples built by the Early Cholas and the stones used in this Tarasuram temple are completely different. It can be fully understood only if you ask the historians who are well-versed about it .
The surrounding walls of the temple are also full of beautiful intricate carvings. A beautiful small statue of Nandi is placed in front of the temple. As in the temples we have seen before, the idols of Adal Mangaiyas were carved in a row around the temple.
Idols of these Adal Mangaiyars are placed in all the temples. Through these statues, we can know how much importance the Cholas have given to dance and art during that period.
Like the Thanjavur temple and the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, this Darasuram Airavatheswaram temple is likely to have had a huge enclosure around it. Because in front of this Darasuram temple there is a foundation for Rajagopuram. This gopuram may have been larger than the gopuram of the Tanjore Great Temple. Over time it fell into disrepair and now stands on the base foundation only.It would have been great if the archeology department had restored this tower. But now plants are sprouting in it and Mother Nature is taking is covering it.
The stairs of this temple are very wonderfully made. Both sides of this staircase are decorated with great artistic grace, like horses pulling their chariots. In this temple there is a sculpture of two wrestlers fighting.
The entrance gate tower of this temple is decorated with beautiful fine sculptures. As I said earlier the sculptures in it are very richly carved like wax dolls.