Tiruchirapalli Tour

Tiruchirappalli  is the sixth largest city of the in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu (after Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, and Tirupur). It is situated in the centre of the state, on the banks of the Kaveri River. The city is a municipal corporation, the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirapalli District.
 

Rockfort or Ucchi Pillayar koil, is a combination of two famous 7th century Hindu temples, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh and the other dedicated to Lord Shiva, located atop a small rock in Trichi, India. Geologically the 83m high rock is said to be one of the oldest in the world, dating over 3 billion years ago, and mythologically this rock is the place where Lord Ganesh ran from King Vibishana, after establishing the Ranganathaswamy deity in Srirangam. The name rockfort comes from the fact that the place was used for military fortification first by the Vijayanagar emperors and later by the British during the Carnatic wars.

It is a famous Shiva temple near Tiruchirapalli, India and adjacent to the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam. It was built by Kochenga Chola around 1000 years ago and it is one of the five major Shiva temples (Panchabhoota Sthalams), representing five major elements - Fire, Earth, Water, Sky and Wind. The main deity, Jambukeswara representing the element Water sits under a Jambu tree over a small stream that engulfs the deity during the rainy season.

The main deity, Samayapurathal or Mariamman is made of sand and clay like many of the traditional Mariamman deities, and hence unlike many other Hindu deities there are no abhishekams (sacred washing) conducted to the main deity, but instead to the small stone statue in front of it. It is believed by the devotees that the Goddess has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas, made with silver or steel, of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box. Devotees also offer mavilakku, a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee. The temple attracts hundreds of devotees on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, the holy days for Mariamman.

It is a famous Vishnu temple near Trichi, India. An exceptional feature about this temple is that mentally challenged people are taken to the temple and kept in the temple premises for 48 days . At the end of the 48 days it is believed that their illness is cured by the grace of the Lord PRASANNA VENKATACHALAPATHI.The etymology of the name derives from "Gunam" and "Seelam" , meaning the place in which all illness are cured. This temple is around 20 miles from Trichi.