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Contents

 

  1. History
  2. Getting Around
  3. Tourist Traps
  4. Local Customs
  5. Shopping
  6. Communications

Though an ancient temple town, Tiruchirappalli (also referred to as Trichy) is cosmopolitan at heart. Nestled on the banks of the Cauvery River, it is Tamil Nadu’s fourth largest city after Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai. Synonymous with Trichy is the Rock Fort Temple perched on the spur of a promontory. An iconic landmark, it offers a bird’s eye view of the cityscape dissected by the Cauvery. Trichy’s wealth of temples can be accredited to the Pallava and Chola kings who ruled the region for centuries, and left behind a legacy of architectural marvels. Every temple here is steeped in mythology and folklore, thick with immaculate sculptures, and an endless source of hope and inspiration to the locals.

History

Originally a Chola citadel, Tiruchirappalli fell in the hands of other South Indian dynasties such as the Pallavas and Pandyas in the 1st century AD. The Cholas, however, recaptured their domains in the 10th century. Woraiyur in Trichy was the capital of the early Cholas. After the Cholas fell from power, Trichy was taken over by the Nayak kings of Madurai who paid tribute to the Vijayanagara Empire. The city’s most famous landmark the Rock Fort Temple was built by the Nayaks. The Nayak rulers changed their capital from Madurai to Tiruchirappalli, and back to Madurai several times.

Trichy is home to many temples of architectural beauty, monuments, churches and mosques. Woraiyur is the oldest part of Trichy, with over 2500 years of known history and culture. In fact, one of the oldest manmade dam Kallanai or Grand Anicut was built by Karikala Chola across River Cauvery, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Woraiyur. Trichy emerged as an ever-growing hub in the days of the Later Cholas, Nayak kings and the early days of the British East India Company. Historians believe that the conquest of Tiruchirappalli by the British East India Company was a milestone achieved in the British conquest of India.

Trichy’s iconic landmark Rock Fort is a steep rocky outcrop, about 83-meter-high (277-foot), and is interestingly the only promontory in the otherwise flat terrain of the city. Owing to it, Trichy is sometimes referred to as ‘Rock City’. Atop the rock is a Lord Vinayaka temple, from where you can behold a sweeping panoramic view of the city. It houses a large Ganesha idol among rare depictions of other deities. Festivals such as Vinayaka Chaturthi (birthday of Lord Ganesha), Diwali, Ramzan, Bakri-Id, Christmas and Pongal are celebrated here with great fanfare. Eminent Carnatic vocalists have performed live at this shrine. At one point, the temple site served as a garrison of the Nayak rulers. There are some sculptural cave temples dating back to the Pallava period on the southern face of the rock.

The area around the Rock Fort specializes in textiles, locally known as Chatram. Trichy has some beautiful churches; it is considered to have the greatest number of chapels in the country. The ones worth a note are Holy Redeemer’s Church (Sagayamatha Koil), Lourdes Church, and The Cathedral. Another popular place of worship in the city is the Arcot Nawab Masjid (mosque), one of the oldest in South India, with a huge water storage tank.

Getting Around

The bus service in Trichy is very efficient. You can get a bus from the main bus station on Rockins Road that passes every few minutes through the Rock Fort Temple, Sri Jambukeshwara Temple and the shrine of Sri Ranganatha Swamy. This is the standard one-way circuit. Cycling is a popular way of exploring the city among tourists, owing to its flat terrain. It is a nice and comfortable ride from Trichy Junction to the Rock Fort Temple, but a slightly exhausting one to Srirangam Island and back. You can hire a bicycle from one of the shops along the Madurai Road near the train station for a nominal charge. Auto-rickshaws are also easy to hail. Not to mention, the most convenient way is to hire a private taxi and explore the city at your own pace.

Tourist Traps in the City

None of any note

Local Custom

Haggling with local auto-rickshaw drivers is a norm, even at small touristy shops selling souvenirs. The locals have a traditional outlook, so when visiting a temple, however big or small, dress modestly and avoid wearing short or revealing clothes.

Shopping

Handloom textiles are a must-buy when in Trichy. Cigars, cheroots, brassware, pith models of temples and the Rock Fort, wooden and clay toys, pottery, jewelry, paintings, ornamental brass and copper plates with silver inlay work, silk, carpets, stone carvings, musical instruments and glass bangles, are among other popular buys in the city. Head to the Chinna Kadai Street that runs along the tank of Lord Vinayaka Rock Fort temple. The place is always busy, and is a brilliant burst of stores selling apparel, jewelry and household merchandize, nicely interspersed with restaurants and snack stalls. ‘Saradhaas’ is one of the oldest and biggest stores in Trichy selling gorgeous silk sarees. ‘Lakshmi Silks’ is another good place for silk sarees further down the street beyond the Uchchi Pillaiyar temple. If you wish to pick up some traditional gold and silver jewelry, try Mangal and Mangal, or Gopaldas jewelers. Thillainagar is the place to shop for anything branded.

While browsing the markets, look out for some traditional handicraft. You will find a neat array of baskets and rugs made out of bamboo, cane, grass, reed and fiber. Although, the city has its share of government emporiums where you get everything under a roof, a walk through the colorful local bazaars is a delight, not to mention a treat to the eyes. Bargaining is not a mandate here, however, while purchasing from the local roadside stalls a bit of bargaining always works well.

Big Bazaar Road is another popular market area in Trichy where you can select from an assortment of local artifacts and authentic silk sarees.

Communications

Phones: The prominent GSM service providers include BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea among others. CDMA service providers are Reliance Communications and Tata Indicom.

Internet: There are ample cyber cafes across the city from where you can browse the net, send emails and upload your travel photographs.

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