Tiruchirapally Travel Guide

Tiruchirapally is Strategically situated at the head of the fertile Kaveri delta this city was sought after by all the Dravidian rulers-Cholas, Pandyas and Pallavas. Its long history goes back to before the Christian era when it was a Chola citadel. The town was mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd century BC. The town and the fort (the rock fort temple) were built by the Nayaks of Madurai and has witnessed many a war. The climatic war between the British and the French was fought around this fort. Modern Trichi today is a commercial city as well as a pilgrim centre.The rock fort temple looms at a spectacular height of 83 mts. on a massive rocky outcrop. The rock itself holds the claim to fame about being the oldest in the world  (3,000 million years), which makes it older than the Himalayas!  The Uchipillaiyar Koil is the rock fort temple dedicated to Lord Vinayak. Trichy became the headquarter of the south Indian railway junction.

Places of attraction

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam) : is 3 kms from the Rock Fort and is surrounded by seven concentric walls with 21 Gopurams. This is one of the largest in India is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. They date back to the 14-17th century. Even the Muslims have reserved the carvings on the shrine. The Vaikuntha Ekadasi Festival is the highlight of the temple. This is dedicated to Vishnu.

A temple Chariot Festival where statues of the deities are paraded abroad a fine chariot is held here each January but the most important festival is the 21-day Vaikuntha Ekadasi  (Paradise Festival) in mid-December when the celebrated Vaishnavite text is recited  before an image of Vishnu. There is a small museum containing sculptures bronze  figures and plaques.

Jambukeswara Temple : The nearby Sri Jambukeshwara Temple was built around the same time as the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. It has seven gopurams. The temple is built around a naturally formed Shiva Lingam which is partially submerged in water. The temple is open 6 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 8.30 pm daily.

St John’s Church was built in 1812 and is unique in its architecture. The lower side doors of the church can be opened to turn the church in to an airy pavilion. It has a memorial plaque to Bishop Heber one of India ‘s best-known missionary Bishops who died in Tirchy in 1826.

Rock Fort: This is the important landmark of Tirchy. It is an 83 metre(237 ft.) high rock that  is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city. This is perhaps the oldest rock in the world as old as the rocks of Greenland. The Himalayas are infant rocks compared to its age. There is a fascinating temple with brilliant architecture on it.

There are two main temples: Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple dedicated to Shiva halfway to the top and one at the summit dedicated to Vinayaka  (Ganesh).

Vayalur : It is 8 kms from Trichy and a famous  Murugan temple is seen here amidst bushy green fields. The famous devotee of Lord Murugan Sri Kripananda Variar built the gopuram of this temple.

Thiru Erumbur: 10 kms from Trichy is the famous place where an ant worshipped Lord Shiva and got bliss.

Thiruvellarai: About 15 kms from Trichy is Thiruvellarai famous for its Pallava cave temple and a strange swastika well belonging to the period of Dantivarman.