Airavatesvara Temple

Practical guide

Plan Airavatesvara Temple

Who's going?Tailor Airavatesvara Temple to your trip

Before you go to Airavatesvara Temple

Check entry arrangements. Ask temple staff about visitor entry, dress requirements and access to the inner shrine before you travel, especially if you are visiting as a non-Hindu.

Dress respectfully and follow the institution’s admission and photography rules.

Typetemple

Nearest baseKumbakonam

DistrictThanjavur

Best timeCooler daylight helps with an unhurried…

Time neededAllow around 90 minutes to two hours

Places to visit12 Listed businesses115

The story

Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram is a Chola temple near Kumbakonam, especially rewarding for visitors who enjoy small sculptural details. Darasuram invites a closer pace than a monumental skyline photograph: look along the base and around the mandapa, where much of the interest is at eye level or below.

The story of Airavatesvara Temple

Built under Rajaraja II in the twelfth century, the temple completes the three-site Great Living Chola Temples group.

Its carved architectural details reward patient looking. Spend time with one section before moving on, and resist the urge to touch or strike stonework to test stories about its sound.

Darasuram works well as a focused excursion from Kumbakonam. Keep room in the day for the town’s other temples, but avoid planning so many that this becomes only a quick stop at the gate.

For the visit itself, allow around 90 minutes to two hours. The best time is cooler daylight helps with an unhurried outdoor visit. Travel to Darasuram rather than asking only for a temple in Kumbakonam town. Use the permitted circuit and allow time for close observation. Do not strike, climb or touch protected carved features.

What to expect

Highlights

Detailed Chola carving
Mandapa and sculpted base
A UNESCO-listed temple near Kumbakonam

Getting there

How to visit

Travel to Darasuram rather than asking only for a temple in Kumbakonam town.
Use the permitted circuit and allow time for close observation.

Distance by road

Tiruchirappalli (Trichy)58 km
Madurai190 km
Puducherry170 km
Coimbatore215 km
Chennai350 km

Road km to Thanjavur; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.

Timing

Best time

Cooler daylight helps with an unhurried outdoor visit.

Weather in Airavatesvara TempleSeasonal guide

Live forecast loads in your browser.

Today at Airavatesvara Temple

Sunrise6:01 am

Sunset5:58 pm

Golden hour best light4:58 pm–5:58 pm

Blue hour after sunset5:58 pm–6:23 pm

Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 264°

Moon tonight🌘 Waning crescent · 1%

Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.

Safety

Good to know

Do not strike, climb or touch protected carved features.

Photos

Airavatesvara Temple in pictures

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41 places to stay near Airavatesvara Temple

21 places to eat near Airavatesvara Temple

32 things to do near Airavatesvara Temple

15 sights to see near Airavatesvara Temple

21 places to shop near Airavatesvara Temple

2 nature spots near Airavatesvara Temple

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Top experiences around Kumbakonam

10 more places around Kumbakonam. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.

templeSarangapani Temple

2.3 km · 29 min walk

One of the largest Vishnu temples in the Cauvery delta and a Divya Desam, its towering gopuram dominates central Kumbakonam; the sanctum is shaped like a temple chariot drawn by horses and elephants.

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templeAdi Kumbeswarar Temple

1.9 km · 24 min walk

The principal Shiva temple of Kumbakonam and the town’s namesake, at the heart of the old bazaar; the focus of the 12-yearly Mahamaham festival at the nearby tank.

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templeRamaswamy Temple

2.1 km · 26 min walk

A 16th-century Nayak-era Rama temple in Kumbakonam, famous for its sculpted pillars and painted mandapa panels illustrating scenes from the Ramayana.

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templeSwamimalai Murugan Temple

3.5 km · ~9 min by auto

The Swaminathaswamy (Murugan) temple at Swamimalai, one of the six sacred “Padai Veedu” abodes of Murugan, reached by a flight of steps; the surrounding town is the living centre of Chola-style lost-wax bronze icon-making. About 7 km west of Kumbakonam.

Open guide

templeNageswaran Temple

2.6 km · ~7 min by auto

The Nageswaraswamy Temple in Kumbakonam is one of the earliest Chola temples, dedicated to Shiva worshipped as Nagaraja, the serpent king. Founded in the 9th century, it is celebrated for its refined early Chola sculpture and for an astronomical design in which sunlight reaches the sanctum during the Tamil month of Chithirai.

Open guide

templeChakrapani Temple

2.5 km · 31 min walk

The Chakrapani Temple in Kumbakonam is a Vishnu temple on the bank of the Cauvery, where Vishnu is worshipped as Chakrapani, the Sudarshana or discus form. By legend the discus emerged from the river and, having humbled Surya the sun god, gave Vishnu the name Chakrapani; the present temple is generally dated to the Nayaka period.

Open guide

templePatteeswaram Durga Temple

2.8 km · ~7 min by auto

The Dhenupureeswarar (Shiva) temple at Patteeswaram near Kumbakonam is best known for its graceful, benevolent Durga (Durgai) shrine, where the goddess is shown in a calm, gentle form rather than a fierce one. By tradition the Cholas revered this Durga and are said to have sought her blessing before going into battle.

Open guide

templeOppiliappan Temple

8.3 km · ~14 min by cab

The Oppiliappan (Uppiliappan) Perumal temple at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is one of the 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Vishnu with his consort Bhumi Devi. By tradition it is the one Divya Desam where the offering (prasadam) is prepared entirely without salt, giving the deity the name Oppiliappan (uppu-illa, without salt), and the site is linked in lore to the sage Markandeya.

Open guide

templeNaganathaswamy Temple, Thirunageswaram

8.1 km · ~14 min by cab

The Naganathaswamy Shiva temple at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is one of the nine Navagraha (planet) temples of the Cauvery delta and is dedicated to Rahu. It is especially known for the Rahu abhishekam, during which the milk poured over the deity is seen by devotees to take on a bluish tinge before running clear.

Open guide

templeMahalingaswamy Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur

The Mahalingeswarar (Mahalingaswamy) temple at Thiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam is a large and historically important Shiva temple, traditionally regarded as the central Madhyarjuna among the great Arjuna (Marudur) Shiva temples of the Cauvery delta. It carries extensive Chola-and-later architecture and hosts major festivals.

Open guide

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Before you go

Airavatesvara Temple — at a glance

Getting around Airavatesvara Temple

If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.

If you need help at Airavatesvara Temple

112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).

100Police 101Fire 108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline 1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)

Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.

Nearby

What’s near Airavatesvara Temple

templeAdi Kumbeswarar Temple

The principal Shiva temple of Kumbakonam and the town’s namesake, at the heart of the old bazaar; the focus of the 12-yearly Mahamaham festival at the nearby tank.

1.9 km · 24 min walk · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeRamaswamy Temple

A 16th-century Nayak-era Rama temple in Kumbakonam, famous for its sculpted pillars and painted mandapa panels illustrating scenes from the Ramayana.

2.1 km · 26 min walk · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeSarangapani Temple

One of the largest Vishnu temples in the Cauvery delta and a Divya Desam, its towering gopuram dominates central Kumbakonam; the sanctum is shaped like a temple chariot drawn by horses and elephants.

2.3 km · 29 min walk · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeChakrapani Temple

The Chakrapani Temple in Kumbakonam is a Vishnu temple on the bank of the Cauvery, where Vishnu is worshipped as Chakrapani, the Sudarshana or discus form. By legend the discus emerged from the river and, having humbled Surya the sun god, gave Vishnu the name Chakrapani; the present temple is generally dated to the Nayaka period.

2.5 km · 31 min walk · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeNageswaran Temple

The Nageswaraswamy Temple in Kumbakonam is one of the earliest Chola temples, dedicated to Shiva worshipped as Nagaraja, the serpent king. Founded in the 9th century, it is celebrated for its refined early Chola sculpture and for an astronomical design in which sunlight reaches the sanctum during the Tamil month of Chithirai.

2.6 km · ~7 min by auto · straight line

Directions Open guide

damMahamaham Tank

A vast sacred temple tank of about 20 acres, ringed by 16 ornate mandapams and small shrines. Once every twelve years the Mahamaham festival draws millions of pilgrims who bathe here, believing the nine holy rivers of India converge in its waters. It is one of the most important mass-bathing pilgrimage sites in South India.

2.6 km · ~7 min by auto · straight line

Directions Open guide

templePatteeswaram Durga Temple

The Dhenupureeswarar (Shiva) temple at Patteeswaram near Kumbakonam is best known for its graceful, benevolent Durga (Durgai) shrine, where the goddess is shown in a calm, gentle form rather than a fierce one. By tradition the Cholas revered this Durga and are said to have sought her blessing before going into battle.

2.8 km · ~7 min by auto · straight line

Directions Open guide

heritageThanjavur Bronze Icon Craft

Swamimalai near Kumbakonam is the world's foremost centre for traditional lost-wax (cire perdue) bronze icon casting, practised by sthapathi families for over a thousand years since Chola times. The panchaloha idols follow strict Shilpa Shastra proportions and are exported to temples worldwide. The craft holds a Geographical Indication tag as Swamimalai bronze icons.

3.3 km · ~8 min by auto · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeSwamimalai Murugan Temple

The Swaminathaswamy (Murugan) temple at Swamimalai, one of the six sacred “Padai Veedu” abodes of Murugan, reached by a flight of steps; the surrounding town is the living centre of Chola-style lost-wax bronze icon-making. About 7 km west of Kumbakonam.

3.5 km · ~9 min by auto · straight line

Directions Open guide

T

Thiruppurambiyam Sakshinatheswarar Temple

Place

templeThiruppurambiyam Sakshinatheswarar Temple

The Shiva temple beside the battlefield of about 879 CE, where the Chola victory over the Pandyas began the dynasty's return. Aditya Chola I is said to have rebuilt the brick shrine standing here in granite in memory of that day. Shiva is worshipped as Sakshinathar, the witness, from the tradition that he appeared to give evidence for a Chettiar woman; the temple is the forty-sixth of the Tevaram-sung Shiva shrines on the north bank of the Kaveri, and is held by the Madurai Adheenam.

6.6 km · ~17 min by auto · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeNaganathaswamy Temple, Thirunageswaram

The Naganathaswamy Shiva temple at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is one of the nine Navagraha (planet) temples of the Cauvery delta and is dedicated to Rahu. It is especially known for the Rahu abhishekam, during which the milk poured over the deity is seen by devotees to take on a bluish tinge before running clear.

8.1 km · ~14 min by cab · straight line

Directions Open guide

templeOppiliappan Temple

The Oppiliappan (Uppiliappan) Perumal temple at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is one of the 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Vishnu with his consort Bhumi Devi. By tradition it is the one Divya Desam where the offering (prasadam) is prepared entirely without salt, giving the deity the name Oppiliappan (uppu-illa, without salt), and the site is linked in lore to the sage Markandeya.

8.3 km · ~14 min by cab · straight line

Directions Open guide

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