Trichy -Tourism

During the rule of the British this town was called Trichnopoly. Today it is Tiruchirappalli and is also called Tiruchirappalli for short. This city is situated on the banks of the Kaveri river. Tiruchirappalli is the fourth largest city in the state and it was a citadel of the early Chola rulers which later fell to the Pallavas kings. The Pallavas never really managed to retain control of this strategic city and lost it to the Pandyas several times. The struggle for power between the Pallavas and Pandyas continued till 10th century as the Cholas asserted and assumed rule for a long time. Tiruchirappalli is 325 km from Chennai. 

When this empire collapsed around 1565, Tiruchirappalli came to be under the rule of different rulers. They were the Nayaks of Madurai, the Marathas, the Nawabs of Carnatic, the French and finally the British. But it was under the Nayaks of Madurai that this town prospered in its own right and grew to become the city that it is today. The city is a fine blend of the traditional and the modern and the town developed was built around the Rock Fort. Apart from the fort there are several churches, colleges and missions dating back to the 1760s. This town is also called the Rome of the East because every Christian denomination has some kind of an establishment in this city. With excellent infrastructural facilities Tiruchirappalli is a good base to see east and central Tamil Nadu.

Temples in Trichy

The Rock Fort Temple- The Rockfort temple, as the name suggests, is a hill fort in Trichy which is constructed on a rock which is about 83 m above the surrounding plains. This rock which is believed to be about a billion years old hence is considered to be one of the oldest of its kind in the world. Steep flights of steps, calculated to be about 450, has been cut into the rock in order to reach the top of the fort.

The Srirangam Temple- Situated at Trichy, the Srirangam temple or the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple was constructed based on the ancient Dravidian architectural style. The Tamil literature series called Divya Prabhanda written by the Alvar saints from the 6th to the 9th century has magnified the significance of the Srirangam temple in their works. The temple is built on a massive 156 acres of land thus making it the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world. Even after undergoing several natural disasters over the years and suffering numerous invasions from armies, the temple still remains magnificent for viewers.

Tiruvanaikkaval Temple- The most famous temple in Trichy that is dedicated to Lord Shiva is the Tiruvanaikkaval Temple located in Srirangam Island. One of the rulers of the Early Cholas dynasty, Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola) built this temple more than 1,800 years ago. Also known as the Jambukeswara temple, this temple has an underground water stream that apparently does not get exhausted even after extensive pumping out of water from this stream. The name Jambukeswara, also another name for Lord Shiva, came into existence because of the presence of the Jambul tree in its proximity.

Samayapuram Mariamman Temple- The Mariamman temple at Samayapuram near Trichy is dedicated to the Goddess Mariamman who is widely believed, by the Hindu community, to possess the mystical powers of curing illnesses. For this reason, the devotees of the temple follow a tradition of donating small silver or steel replicas of the body parts that are required to be cured, to the temple.

Vayaloor Temple- The Vayaloor temple is a very important Hindu shrine situated near Trichy that considers Lord Muruga as the primary deity. The temple is considered to be built 1,200 years ago during the 9th century when Trichy was being ruled by the Cholas. Later on, the Shaivite saint, Thirumuruga Kirupananda Variyar provided his support in order to renovate the temple to what we see today. The temple is currently situated at about 18 km from the city of Trichy.

Gunaseelam Temple- This famous 5000 year old Vishnu temple is located at about 20 miles from the city of Trichy in Tamil Nadu on the banks of the river Cauvery. Interesting legends regarding the making of the temple have prevailed among the folks for centuries. The most distinct feature of this temple would be the service that the temple provides in order to care for the mentally-challenged group of people.

Puliancholai- Puliancholai is actually a very small village located at the foot of the Kollimalai hills approximately 70 km from the city of Trichy with a population of just about 30 families. It is also a famous and exotic tourist destination. Abundant in scenic beauty and surrounded by forest areas, the place is appropriate for trekking and other adventure related activities. The place has a waterfall called Akasha Ganga meaning Heavenly Ganga, which flows down from high up the hills and finally turns into a natural stream that could be used for leisure swimming.

Popular Places in Trichy

Mukkombu- Mukkombu is a beautiful place located at about 18 km from Trichy. Famous for its scenic beauty, the main attractions in Mukkombu are the upper cut dam, fishing spot, children garden, sports facilities, amusement park etc.

Puliancholai Falls- Puliancholai is a forest region situated about 72 kilometres from Trichy. The Puliancholai falls originate from the deep forest and its a bathing area for the tourist.

Pachamalai- Pachamalai is a mountain range and a trekking spot for tourists located about 80 km North of Trichy. Visitors could enjoy the greenery of this region where two rivers  Kallar and Sweata nadi flowing through the mountain.

Government Museum- The museum which is located at Rani Mangammal Mahal consists of sculptures of Mahavira, Gautam Buddha, Lord Vishnu, ancient fossils, prehistoric Megalithic tools, Palaeolithic and Neolithic Tools etc. It also has a collection of rare insects, birds and mammals.

Planetorium- 5 Km from Trichy Anna Science Centre/Planetorium is located at Pudukkottai Road, near Airport . There are daily shows programmed in Tamil and English versions shown daily at the following hours

• In Tamil: 10.30am, 1.00pm, and 3.30p.m.
  
• In English: 11.45a.m., 2.15p.m. and 4.45p.m.
  

Sittannavasal- Sittannavasal, which is an ancient Jain monastry is famous for its cave paintings. Tamil inscriptions can be found in those caves which are carved between 3rd century BC and 13th century AD. The place has great importance in the art history of India and is located 58 Kilometres from Trichy.

Kallanai- Grand Anaicut- The Kallani Dam or The Grand Anaicut is the oldest dam in the world built on the river Kaveri by the Chola king Karikalan. It was later renovated by the British and is still in use. The dam is located about 20 kilometers from Trichy.

St. Josephs Church- St.Josephs church is one of the oldest churches in India built in the year 1792 by Schwartz with the support of British Garrison. This Roman Catholic church which is replica of Our Lady of Lourdes France is situated near Teppakulam.

St. John Church- St. John Church is another oldest church in India built in the year 1812 with extraordinary architectural structure. Located near Theppakulam, the church has an array of monument in honour of the departed who were the victims of malaria, cholera or enemy bullets.

Oomaiyan Kottai- Oomiyan Kottai is an old fort situated at Tirumayam. This fort was built by the King Sethupathi in the year 1687 and it was later used by the British to imprison captured rebels. Its located about 71 kilometres from Trichy.