Rock Fort Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Trichy

Height of rock

About 83 m (273 ft)

Steps

Over 400

Timings

6 am–12:30 pm, 4–8:30 pm

Built

Cave temples from the 7th century (Pallava)

Nearest airport

Tiruchirappalli

Nearest railway station

Tiruchirappalli Junction

What to see

At the foot of the hill is Manicka Vinayagar, a large and much-loved Ganesha. As you climb, you pass the Thayumanavar temple to Shiva, set into the rock with a hall decorated with paintings. Pallava-era cave shrines on the lower slopes carry early sculpture and inscriptions. The final stretch to Ucchi Pillayar is steeper and open to the sky, and the reward is a wide view in every direction.

History

The rock itself is among the oldest in the world, dated to billions of years. The earliest cave temples here are credited to the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in the seventh century. Later rulers, especially the Madurai Nayaks, built on the hill and used it as a fort, and it saw fighting during the Carnatic Wars of the eighteenth century.

Timings and tips

Morning hours run until 12:30 pm from 6 am, and the evening session is 4–8:30 pm. Footwear is left at the base, and the stone can get hot at midday, so climb early or in the evening. The steps are steep and may be hard for elderly visitors or anyone with knee or heart trouble. Dress modestly.

How to reach

Trichy has an international airport and a major railway junction, and buses come in from all over Tamil Nadu. The Rock Fort is in the old market area near Chinnakadai Street, easy to reach by auto from Chatram bus stand.

Nearby

Combine the climb with Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, Jambukeswarar at Thiruvanaikaval, Samayapuram Mariamman, Our Lady of Lourdes Church and the ancient Kallanai dam. Trichy is a short drive from Virudhachalam, and we can plan a full day around these sights.

Also nearby