Ucchi Pillayar Temple is a 7th-century-CE Hindu temple, dedicated to Bhagwan Ganesha located at the top of Rock Fort, Trichy, in Tamil Nadu, Bharat. An asura (demon) called Thirisiran was said to have ruled in this region. It is said that in the past this place was called as Thirisiripuram and later it became Sirappalli and now it is called as Tiruchirappalli or shortly Trichy. Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort is also fondly called Malaikottai in Tamil.
Legend
According to legend, after the Ramayana war, Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana, was gifted a Vishnu deity by Bhagwan Rama. As he was carrying it to Sri Lanka, he stopped at Srirangam to perform his prayers. Ganesha, appearing as a small boy, tricked him by placing the deity on the ground, making it impossible to lift again. When Vibhishana realized what had happened, he chased the boy, who ran up and climbs over the rock near the Kaveri bank. Vibhishana finally reaches the boy and hits him on the forehead. Then the boy appears in his true form and Vibhishana realises that the boy is none other than Bhagwan Ganesh. Thus, Bhagwan Ganesh finally settles on the top of the rock as Uchi Pillaiyar, meaning “Ganesha at the summit.” One can see a pit (a hole) in the forehead of the Vigraha of Ganesh there even today, that indicates the spot where he was hit by Vibhishana.
The place in which the Ranganatha deity was kept was later covered in deep forests, due to disuse and after a very long time, it was discovered when a Chola king chasing a parrot found the deity accidentally. He then established the Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam as the largest temple complexes in the world. Meanwhile, the Pallavas built the Vinayaka temple and the Thayumanaswamy temple, on the rock which Vinayaka used to escape Vibhishana.
Temple history
The Rock Fort temple stands 83 metres (272 ft) tall perched atop a rock. The smooth rock was first cut by the Pallavas but it was the Nayaks of Madurai who completed the temples under the Vijayanagara empire. Trichy Rockfort Hill is made of granite that is estimated to be over 3.8 billion years old. It is one of the oldest rock formations in the world. In comparison, the Himalayas are much younger — they began forming only about 50 million years ago when the Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian plate.
At ground level there is a Ganesha temple named Manikya Vinayaka temple and the middle level there is a Shiva temple named Thayumana Swamy Temple. At the peak of Rock fort there is another Ganesha Temple named Uchi Pillayar Temple. A climb of 437 steps carved into the rock leads devotees to the temple, for a divine darshan of Ucchi Pillayar (Bhagwan Ganesha) at the summit.
Manikya Vinayaka Temple
This temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Ganesh located at the foothills of Rockfort. Manikyam means precious ruby stone. Manikya Vinayaka is believed to be the patron deity of Trichy city.
Thayumanavar temple
The Tayumanavar Temple is located midway up the hill. The magnificent structure of this temple in the middle of the hill amazes the pilgrims. Upon entering the temple, the first shrine is that of the Goddess, and further up is the Tayumanavar shrine. It is believed that the original temple entrance was facing East and now it is in the opposite direction (i.e., West). As per the Legends, Sage Sarama an ardent devotee of Bhagwan Siva used to grow a special flower in his garden for the Bhagwan. One day he found a guard of King Parantaka Chola (907 A.D – 955 A.D) was taking away the flowers. The sage complained to the King about the theft but the King ignored the complaint after knowing from the guard that the queen ordered for these flowers. Sage lamented and cried before Bhagwan Shiva as he was not able to perform Pooja. Bhagwan Siva became angry and He averted his benign glance from the capital city of Urayiur resulting in his deity turning into west direction from east. This caused a rain of soil to fall on the city and the worried king prayed for Vekkali Amman (a form of Goddess Parvati), who pacified the Bhagwan Shiva. Therefore, in this temple the flag post (dhwajasthambham) is found placed behind the shrine unlike other temples where it is normally placed opposite to the main shrine.
Another legend says an ardent devotee of Bhagwan Shiva became pregnant and her mother went to help her during delivery time. The pregnant lady lived on the north bank of the river Cauvery, which flows through Tiruchirapalli. As the baby delivery time approached, the pregnant lady’s mother had to go to Tiruchirapalli, crossing the river which was flooding. The worried pregnant lady prayed to the Bhagwan and found her mother by her side. The baby was born safely. Soon after the floods receded, her mother reached the place. When she asked how she managed to deliver the baby, then they came to know that it is Bhagwan who came in the form of her mother. Thayum ana means “One who became the mother”. Thus, the temple came to be known by the name Thayumanavar temple.
Bhagwan Shiva is in linga form in this temple and His consort Parvati is depicted as Mattuvar Kuzhalammai. The walls around the central shrine houses the image of Dakshinamurthy, Somaskandar, Natarajar, Surya, Brahma, and Durga. The two-storey-tall Taayumaanava temples are considered to be a masterpiece of construction. The 100 Pillar Hall, known locally as the “Nooru Kaal Mandapam,” is situated within the Thayumanaswamy Temple. The hall was constructed in 1565 CE by Periya Veerappa Nayakkar and showcases remarkable Dravidian architecture, featuring intricately carved stone pillars and sculptures. This architectural marvel reflects the rich cultural heritage of the region.
The major complex in the temple is believed to be built during the 8th century by the Pandyan Empire. This temple is 67th of 274 Shiva temples that are worshipped in the Thevaaram (The Tevaram refers to the works of the three most prominent Shaiva Tamil saints of the 7th and 8th centuries: Sambandar, Appar, and Sundarar, that contains 796 hymns made up of 8,284 stanzas. Tevarams are Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranic heroes, as well as a hagiographic account of early Shaiva saints set in devotional poetry). All Saivite saints, Gnanasambandar, Appar, Manickavasagar, and Thayumana Swamigal had actually sung the magnificence of this sacred land (Thayumanavar temple).
Ucchi Pillayar Temple
The Ucchi Pillaiyar Temple has several remarkable features, and inscriptions that date as far back as the 3rd century. These ancient carvings and records are a window into the rich heritage and religious fervour that has surrounded this site for millennia. The temple was built in the 12th century by the Chola dynasty. It is built in the Dravidian style of architecture, which is characterized by its tall, ornate towers. The temple has a large gopuram, or gateway, which is decorated with sculptures of Hindu Bhagwans. The temple also has a large courtyard, which is surrounded by a number of shrines. The main shrine in the temple is dedicated to Ucchi Pillayar. The shrine is located in the centre of the courtyard. Ucchi Pillayar is considered a powerful deity for removing obstacles and granting wisdom.
From its summit tourists can get a fantastic view of the Trichy town plus its other main landmarks, Srirangam, Cauvery River, Coleroon River, Thiruvanaikal Kovil, etc.
Rock-cut temple
There are two rock-cut temples in the fort, one in the lower part of the fort called Lower Cave Temple and the other called the Upper Cave Temple; it is in the complex after the Thayumanswamny temple on the way up, on the left before the Uchi Pillayar Kovil. The rock-cut temple in the hill temple complex was built during the Pallava era and is named Lalitankura Pallaveswaram, with several inscriptions attributed to Mahendravarman I. The rock-cut cave temples of the Rockfort are listed as monuments of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.
At the basement of this Rockfort temple, the temple tank called Teppakulam can be seen. The house near the tank was the place of residence of British Major General Robert Clive during British rule. The fort complex has witnessed fierce battles between the Madurai Nayakas and Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, Carnatic region and Maratha Imperial forces. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic Wars, helping lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. The Rockfort is the most prominent landmark of the Trichy city.
Festivals
- Giri Pradakshinam: During full-moon days
- Annual Brahmotsavam: in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May)
- Vasantha Utsavam
- Navratri Festival
- Sivarathri
- Ganesh Chaturthi
- Maargazhi Matha Triuvilla (mid-December to mid-January).
- Kartheeka Deepam (November-December)
How to Reach
- By Air: Trichy has an airport, 7 km away from the city, and is connected by regular flights with Chennai, Madurai, and Bangalore.
- By Train: Trichy is the Nearest Railway station and it is well Connected to Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tuticorin, Tirupati, and Rameswaram
- By Road: Trichy is connected by road to Chennai (320 km), Madurai (124 km), and to all major towns in South India by regular bus services.
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