A mantra in the Taittiriya Samhita says to the Supreme One, “pari diyA rathEna.” Translated, this means: “Ride around on the chariot.” The very word chariot indicates that this Vedic reference is to the archa form of Lord Narayana as Aravamudhan in Kumbakonam, elaborated V.S. Karunakarachariar in a discourse. The sthala purana says that when the Lord married Goddess Komalavalli, He arrived in a chariot drawn by elephants and horses. Reflecting the sthala purana, the garba griha is in the form of a chariot, drawn by elephants and horses. In addition to this stone chariot in which the Lord is seen in reclining position in the temple, the temple also has a huge wooden chariot for the processional idol.
There is yet another reason why there is a ratha association to Aravamudhan. Thirumangai Azhvar wrote a work called Thiruvezhukootrirukkai, which is exclusively in praise of Lord Aravamudhan. Put together all the numerals in this work and you get the image of a chariot. Thus, Thirumangai Azhvar uses what is known in poetic parlance as ‘rathabandha.’ No other deity has a work that is entirely dedicated to Him. Even Lord Ranganatha’s Thirupalliyezhuchi has references to Ayodhya and Mathura. There is yet another exclusive honour shown to Aravamudhan by Thirumangai Azhvar. The latter has to his credit six works. The only deity to find a place in all six works is Lord Aravamudhan.
Lord Mahavishnu’s chariot is nothing but a representation of Garuda. In fact, Vishnu is called pakshiratha — the One who has a bird as His chariot. In the temple of Aravamudhan, there is the practice of mounting Garuda on a temple chariot.
So we have here the peculiar feature of a chariot (Garuda) placed on yet another chariot!