Highlights: • Evidence for a 175 km thick lithosphere beneath the Archean Eastern Dharwar craton. • The lithosphere has a shear wave velocity of 4.7-4.8 km/s, typical for a craton. • Moderate coupling between the Dharwar craton lithosphere and asthenosphere. • Collocated seismological and kimberlite xenolith data reveal undisturbed craton root.