Trichy

State :

Tamil Nadu

Climate :

The climate of Trichy is Tropical. Temperature Range (deg C): Summer- Max. 37.1°C Min. 26.4°C; Winter- Max. 31.3°C Min. 20.6°C; Rainfall: 835 mm.

Significance :

A historical and pilgrimage site

Tiruchirappalli - the city of temples :

Tiruchirappalli, stationed in the center of Tamil Nadu, on the shores of the Cauvery river is 320 km from Madras and 150 km from Madurai and is famous for the Ranganatha Temple at Srirangam, 10 km away. The Rock fort forms the center of the city and is a miraculous structure which is 83 meters in height. The Uchi pillaiyer Temple devoted to lord Vinayaka or Ganesha has a total of 344 steps cut into the rock and lead to the temple. One can also visit the Tyaumanaswami Temple of lord Shiva half way up the hillock. One should not miss the two cave temples in the fort with sculptures dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries. The Sri Jambukeswara Temple, at Tiruvankkaikaval, Srirangam is an island in the Kaveri river, north of Tiruchirapalli. The Ranganathaswami Temple built during 13th-14th centuries features 21 towers and stone pillars covered with fine carvings.

History :

Tiruchirappalli was a Chola fort during the Sangam Age and was dictated by the Pallavas and the Pandyas for a short period of time. Today, the city is a combination of history, a pilgrim center and a thriving commercial city. Tiruchirapalli, also referred as Tiruchi or Trichy in short, was built by the Nayak rulers of Madurai around a rock fort.

Famous for - the Rock Fort Temple :

The Rock Fort Temple, is the most famous feature of this ancient city, a spectacular monument perched on a massive rocky out crop which rises abruptly from the plain to tower over the old city.

Rock Fort - It gives a spectacular view and the Vinayaka temple at the top can be reached by climbing a tunnel in rock. Half way up is the Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple, devoted to Lord Siva which has a 100-pillar hall and a Vimana covered with gold. On the southern side of the rock are many ravishing carved rock-cut cave temples of the Pallava period.

Connectivity :

• By Air - Tiruchirapalli is well connected by air to Madras, Madurai, Bangalore and Colombo. The airport is 07 kms from the city centre.
• By Rail - Tiruchirappalli is an important junction on the Southern Railway. It connects Chennai, Thanjavur, Chidambaram and Madurai.
• By Road - Tiruchirappalli is well connected by road to Madurai (150kms), Madras (320 kms), Pondicherry (255 kms) and Thanjavur (56 kms).

Additional Highlights of the City :

• Viralimalai Sanctuary - A small town, located at a distance of 30-km from Tiruchirappalli and 40-km from Pudukkottai is famous for its Murugan temple and the Peacock sanctuary. The town is blessed with a large number of wild peacocks, which roam around the Murugan temple and ad to its devine beauty.
• Sittanavasal - 58-km from Trichy is Sittanavasal, a place of an ancient Jain monastery with awesome fresco paintings in a rock cave. Most of them are prevalent of the 9th century Pandyan period and include elegantly detailed pictures of animals, fish, ducks, people gathering lotuses from a pond and two dancing figures. One can also find inscriptions dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. Fresco paintings from the 7th century can be viewed on the ceiling of the Ardhamandapam.
• Tiruvanaikkaval - Situated at a distance of 7 kms from the city is Tiruvanaikkaval. The temple here has a Siva lingam almost submerged in water, which flows from a rock sheltered spring in the sanctum sanatorium. The Lord's name Jambukeswarar is derived from a legend that an elephant once worshiped Him under the holy Jambu tree.