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Tiruchirapalli, commonly known as Tiruchi
or Trichy is the Fourth largest city of Tamil Nadu (after Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai) and is also
one of the A1 metropolitan cities of Tamilnadu. It is situated in the centre of
the state, on the banks of the Cauvery River. It was
a citadel of the early Cholas which later fell to the Pallavas. But the
Pallavas never really managed to retain control of this strategic city and lost
it to the Pandyas several times. This tug of war finally ended when the Cholas
reasserted themselves in the 10th century.
When this empire collapsed in 1565, it was occupied
in turn by the Nayaks of Madurai, the Marathas, the Nawabs of Carnatic, the
French and finally the British. But it was under Nayaks of Madurai that Tiruchy
flourished and prospered in its own right and grew to be the city that it is
today. Tiruchy is a fine blend of tradition and modernity built around the Rock
Fort. Apart from the fort, there are several churches colleges and missions
dating back to the 1760s. With its excellent infrastructure facilities, Tiruchy
will serve as a good base to see central Tamilnadu
ATTRACTIONS
Rock
Fort
The view from the fort is spectacular. The
Vinayaka temple at the top is reached by climbing a tunnel in rock. Half way up
is the Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Siva. It has a 100-pillar
hall and a Vimana covered with gold. On the southern face of the rock are several
beautifully carved rock-cut cave temples of the Pallava period.
Tiruvanaikkaval
The temple here has a Siva lingam almost
submerged in water, which flows from a subterranean spring in the sanctum
sanctorum. The Lord's name Jambukeswarar is derived from a legend that an
elephant once worshipped Him under the holy Jambu tree.
Srirangam
The most important pilgrim center in the
district is located in an island just 5kms from Trichy. Srirangam, surrounded
by the waters of the Cauvery on one side and its tributary Kollidam on the
other, is a 600-acre island-town enclosed within the seven walls of the
gigantic Sri Ranganatha Temple. There are not less than 22 gopurams, one of
which is the tallest in India.
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