The Agnisvarar temple at Tirukattupalli is one of the smaller and also one of the earlier temples of Aditya I's time (871 - 907 CE). The suffix palli suggests that the place should have been an abode of Jains, and indeed a stone image of Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Jaina Tirthankara was discovered in the area. The local Jainsim was probably swept away by the Saiva Nayanars. The temple of Agnisvarar should have been in existence at least some time before the seventh century CE, as the Tamil saints Appar and Sambandar have sung hymns in the honour of the deity consecrated here. The image in the sanctum is so placed that the rays of the rising sun fall on the linga during the equinoxes. The feature accords with the belief that the Lord of this place is worshipped by the Sun. Appar also mentions that the deity was held dear by hunters and the learned. The earlier structure must have been made of brick or other perishable material and was probably replaced by a stone structure in the ninth century during Aditya I’s reign. The period is discernible from the temple’s style rather than inscriptions. The original temple of Aditya’s time consisted only of the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) with a superstructure (vimana) over it and the half-hall (ardhamandapa). These two parts form a unit by themselves. The other halls or mandapas and the shrine of the Goddess are later additions. The neck (griva) of the vimana and the crowning cupola (sikhara) are heavily stuccoed. While the divinity niche figures are later icons replacing the original icons, the figure of the Dakshinamurti in the niche of the griva on the south is original and seems almost Muttaraiyar (600-900 CE), that is, a bit more ancient than the sculpture style from Aditya's time hence the temple should be ascribed to early phase of Aditya's time. References: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1966, pp.13-20 M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p. 161.

The Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram (Tamil Nadu) has highly ornate execution. The temple consists of a sanctum without a circumambulatory path and halls or mandapas. The Airavatesvara temple, in the inscriptions known as Rajarajesvara temple, was built by Rajaraja II, of Kulottunga’s line, who ruled from 1146 to 1172 CE. The front mandapa known in the inscriptions as Rajagambhiran tirumandapam is unique as it is conceived as a chariot with wheels. This temple is reminiscent of the Melakkadambur temple built by Kulottunga I (1111 CE) and anticipates the giant wheel Konark temple at Orissa (1235-53 CE). It is one of the greatest monuments and the last Chola enterprise of this scale. The temple faces the east. There is an open court, a double-storeyed cloister with just a single entrance in the east. There was an outer enclosure but it has totally vanished. There is a Nandimandapa, and a Balipitha or platform for offerings. The main temple consists of a vimana, ardhamandapa, a transept, a closed large hall or mahamandapa and a mukhamandapa. Wheels of stone at regular intervals are suggestive of the divine chariot of Shiva. The pillars of this mandapa are highly ornate. The elevation of all the units is elegant with sculptures dominating the architecture. A number of sculptures from this temple are the masterpieces of Chola art. The labelled miniature friezes extolling the events that happened to the sixty-three (63) Tamil saints - Nayanamars are noteworthy and reflect the deep roots of Saivism in this region. The Airavatesvara temple complex itself has been entirely built at the same time with no later additional structures and remains in its original form. The Daivanayaki Amman shrine, built a little later, also stands in its original form within its own enclosure. The construction of a separate temple for Devi indicates the emergence of the Amman shrine as an essential component of the South Indian temple complex. The shrine is interesting from architectural, sculptural and cultic points of view. The temple shares with Airavatesvara the blend of Saiva and Sakta doctrines that were in vogue during these times. References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, pp.299-309, UNESCO: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/250.

The Airavatesvara temple is on the southern bank of the Kaveri. Nemam was so called because it was considered a place most suitable for man’s conquest of his senses. It was a place where a thousand lingas placed round a big central linga had been installed. Hence it was called Niyamam Ayirattali (thousand shrines). The vestiges of this temple could be seen southwest of the Airavatesvara temple. One of the inscriptions on this temple relates to the twenty-fourth regnal year of Aditya I. The temple is built entirely of stone and the original shrine consisted of the sanctum sanctorum (garbagriha), the half-hall (ardhmandapa), and the sub shrines, enclosed by a compound wall with a gateway in the east. The crowning cupola (sikhara) has been fully renovated. Reference: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1966, pp.143-144.

The Aivar Kovil is a Panchayatana temple or a temple of five shrines. Once on a common plinth there must have been a central shrine surrounded by a narrow circumambulatory wall (prakara), with four subsidiary shrines on the sides. Each sub-shrine had a short balustraded flight of steps leading to them and one would approach the shrine either from the west or east. All the five sancta enshrine lingas of the Pandyan convention. This temple is an example of the Panchayatana temple style of Central and Eastern India, but, unfortunately, today only the basement and wreckage of a single temple survive. The few surviving sculptures such as Mahisamardini image, seated siddhas and apsaras follow Tondainadu style. The foundation of the temple possibly dates from the time of Irrukuvel chief, Marvan Pudi’s father Cattan Maravan (early ninth century CE). References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky 1963, pp. 200 – 202, S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1971, p.28 and S.K.V. Rajan, 1980, p. 45.

The Alandurai Mahadeva temple is the more ancient and famous of the two Shiva temples at Kilappaluvar; the other one is ‘Pasupatisvaram’. The Alandurai Mahadeva temple complex comprises of a shrine of the Goddess 'Aruntava-Nayaki’. The existence of the present stone structure goes back to Parantaka I (907-954 CE), which can be asserted, from the inscriptions on the temple walls from his regnal years. The most interesting feature of the temple is presence of bronze images of the sixty-three Tamil saints – Saiva Nayanars. References: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1963, pp.28-33, S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1971, pp.292-293.

The Amaresvara temple at Kuhur was earlier known as Adityesvara and was rebuilt in stone in or before the second year of Uttama Chola (973 CE). While on the whole, this is an example of a rather ordinary temple; a special feature is that all the divinity niches or devakosthas were crowned by ornamental or arched gateways - toranas. References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p.181.