Darasuram

Darasuram is another small town not far from Gangaikondacholapuram. Its lovely Airavateshwara Temple was built by the same Chola king who built the temple at Gangaikondacholapuram. It is smaller and simpler than the other and well worth a visit.


Airavateshwara Temple entrance gopuram	Mandapa in the courtyard

Dancers on the base of the mandapa	Statues on the upper walls

On the walls are a number of very nice Chola statues in black basalt.


Ardhanarishvara - composite androgynous figure of Shiva and Parvati	Parvati

Curled elephant-trunk balustrades on mandapa staircase	Mythical beasts on bases of columns of mandapa

The mandapa is particularly interesting, as it uses a device seen in some other Indian temples: It is designed to imitate a chariot -- complete with wheels and pulled by horses. Notice that the mandapa has beautiful staircase balustrades in the form of elephant trunks. This device is also seen elsewhere (as at Thanjavur), but is particularly graceful here.


View of the courtyard and vimana	Another basalt statue

Mandapa ceiling	Pillars and child in the mandapa

By this time, we'd done lots of temple visiting and were happy to get to Thanjavur and rest.

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