Rath at Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, Tamil Nadu, India
What does an Indian ratha or chariot signify as a temple? They seem to be symbolic to acts of valor and vanquishing evil by gods and hence metaphorically extending the same qualities to the mighty Kings who build those temples. How to reach Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram?
Ratha at Airavatesvara Temple has been designed to represent the entire cosmos - a divine ratha used by Tripuratanka who is a manifestation of Shiva. The chariot plays an important role in Tripura dahana, the three cities reduced to ashes by Tripuratanka.
Or The ratha of Surya in Konark temple - symbolic of Surya, the Sun god traveling the entire earth in 24 hours daily drawn by seven horses traversing emitting light of life.
Or Arjuna's ratha built by Vishvakarma as mentioned in Rigveda a ratha that was capable of conquering all directions - Ved Vyasa has detailed Arjuna’s ratha with its Kapi Dhvaja in Mahabharata during the Khandava vana period of their life - Agni Dev gifted the Ratha to Arjun to help him burn down Khandava vana.
