Tiruchirappalli
is known as Dakshina
Kailas. Historically
the city is famous
as it was the centre
of the rule of the
Chola kings. There
is a temple on the
rock dedicated to
Lord Ganesa called
the Uchhi Pillaiar.
 The
legend goes that
once there was a
fight between Adisesha
and Vayu the wind
God, regarding their
strength. Adisesha
challenged Vayu
to try and loosen
its grip as he coiled
around Mount Meru.
Vayu put all his
strength to do this
and in this process
three pieces of
Mount Meru broke
away. One of the
chips fell at Kalahasti,
the second at Tiruchirapalli
and the third in
Ceylon. The chip
that fell at Tiruchi
is the rock fort
where the Uchhi
Pillaiar exists
now. The origin
of the temple was
supposed to have
been made when Vibhisana
gifted his Ranga
Vimanam to a Brahmin
youth with strict
instructions not
to place it at the
ground. However
the boy did just
that causing Vibhisana
to get angry and
slap him. This boy
ran to the summit
of the Rock and
got transformed
as Vinayaka. The
slap caused a depression
on the boy’s
face, which is visible
on the Ganesa’s
face. Another feature
of this place is
the presence of
a small Vinayaka
temple at the foot
of the rock. There
is a thousand pillared
mandapam, a Mani
mandapam a rock
cut cave. There
is also a shrine
dedicated to Siva
under the name of
Tayumanavar and
a beautiful tank
known as Teppakkulam.
Tiruchirappalli
or Tiruchi is located
200 miles from Madras.
This place is well
connected by trains
and buses. There
are a lot of places
for accommodation
as well. |
