Tiruchirappalli, also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a municipal corporation and the fourth largest urban agglomeration in Tamil Nadu, with an estimated population of 1.2 million. It is situated in the centre of Tamil Nadu and is the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirapalli District. The most famous landmark of Trichy is the Rockfort temple which is perched on a huge rocky out crop. The smooth crop was first hewn by the Pallavas but it was the Nayaks of Madurai who later built the Rockfort temple. The temple is dedicated to Lords Shiva and Ganesh. Tiruchirappali is a combination of three words Thiru + Chira + Palli, meaning the 'School Chira'. In Thaayumanavar Temple in Rock- fort, pictures depict that there was a saint called 'Chira', who established a school ('Palli' in Tamil) near that area. Hence the name Chira Palli or Tiruchirappalli; Tiru being an honoric prefix for the saint Chira. Trichy is an ancient city of South India and it was the capital of Chola and Naicka kings for many centuries. Trichy encompasses Srirangam, a Vaishnavite temple and the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world. Trichy also contains "ThiruAnaikka" (ThiruvAnaikkaval), House of Water, one of the five main abodes ("Panchaboodha Sthalam") of Lord Shiva. Trichy is also called the Rock City.
How to Get There
By Air:
Trichy has an international airport, located around 7 km away. Since 2008, it has become a convenient low-cost entry point to India from South-East Asia (or vice versa), as AirAsia started to fly here from Kuala Lumpur. Tickets booked in advance, as of summer 2009, are dirt cheap, and drops well below that figure during frequent sales. This is quite a good option even if you fly from Thailand to South India. Domestic connections link it to Chennai, Madurai and Bangalore.
By Rail:
There are frequent trains to/from Coimbatore. Night travel is best.
By Road:
Buses to various destinations are equally frequent. Again, night travel is best.
Getting Around:
Thanjavur, another historical city 60 km away is an important tourist centre in South India, famous for its large Prahadeeshwara Temple. There are many interesting places and temples in and around Thanjavur. Pudukkottai, 45 km from Trichy, near Sithannavasal, is famous for its carvings & paintings dating back centuries. On your way to Kulithalai, you can enjoy the road journey virtually on the banks of Cauvery, an unforgettable experience.
What to See
The Rockfort Temple complex has many temples. Thayumaavar, Uchchi pillayar and Manikka vinayagar are the most important. One also gets a splendid view of the city and the Cauvery river; a must see. Sri Ranganathaswamy temple; Jambukeshwara Temple and Samayapuram Amman Temple are other temples close by. Apart from temples, there are also some destinations, ideal for picnics/day trips like Mukkombu - A tourist spot at 15 km from Trichy; Kallanai - a 2000 yr old dam built on the river Kallanai, (an offshoot of the Cauvery river) by Karikala Cholan and Puliyancholai - A green hideout around a pretty waterfall, at the Foot hills of Kollimalai - Kolli hills near Thuraiur.
Where to Stay
There is plenty of accommodation for the Budget class, in the form of lodges, dormitories and guest houses. Of the better hotels, Hotel Sangam Tiruchirappalli is expensive; SRM Hotel; Hotel Mathura; Hotel Femina; TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu; Breeze Residency; Hotel Annamalai and Guru Hotel are reasonable.
Where to Eat
Sree Krishnas, a nice vegetarian restaurant which offers Indian and Chinese food; Hotel Femina, with the restaurant inside the hotel; Sangeetha, a vegetarian restaurant; Ice Blue Restaurant, a newly opened Non-veg restaurant; Banana Leaf, Breeze and
Kannapa Chettinad restaurant, all non-veg.
