Aravan, also known as Sri Aravan, Iravat and Iravant, is a  village deity of Southern India who, according to tradition, was allowed by Krishna (fig.) to witness the entire duration of the Mahabharata War through the eyes of his severed head.

Hence, Aravan is worshipped in the form of his severed head which sometimes even has its own shrine within temples, as here, where the roof has a statue of Krishna as Govinda, portrayed as a youthful cowherd and in companionship of a cow (fig.).