Rock Fort Ganapathi Temple, Trichy, Tamil Nadu India

In fact, it is a combination of three separate temples; two dedicated to Lord Ganesh and one to Lord Shiva. The whole temple complex is on a 83 meters high rock, which is widely acknowledged as one of the oldest surviving rock (to many, older than mount Kailash itself!) on Earth. The scientific study proved that it is not less than three billion years old!!. The temple is presently under the administrative control of ASI (Archaeological Survey of India)

The temple complex has three separate temples. An imposing shrine of Lord Ganesh, known as Manikka Vinayaga, is at the entrance of the rock temple. Devotees pay their respect to this deity before climbing the rock. On the middle of the rock is the Lord Shiva temple, known as Thayum ana swamy and the well-known shrine of Lord Ganesh comes after that; on top of the rock. One has to climb about 417 steps to reach the top; a panoramic view of Tiruchirapalli city is another attraction.

Lord Shiva is the principal deity (although the temple is widely known as Ganesh Temple). There is an interesting legend behind Lord Shiva becoming Thayum Ana Swami. Once upon a time there was a woman who was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva here. She became pregnant after her marriage. In due course pregnancy pain started. But, at that time, her mother was away incidentally. With unbearable pain, she cried to Lord Shiva for help. Lord Shiva appeared on the scene as her mother; helped her in delivery. There after this Lord became Thayum Ana Swamy in Tamil or Mathrubhuteswar in Sanskrit, which can be translated as ‘The God who could help like a mother.’

The Rock Fort Temple, or Ucchi Pillayar Koil, is a combination of two famous 7th century Hindu temples, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh and the other dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located on top, and carved into, a huge rock in Trichy. The 83m high rock is said to be one of the oldest in the world, dating over 3 billion years ago, predating Greenland and the Himalayas. We were told that the biggest part of the work to carve out the rock and associated temple construction took 300 men eleven years of effort. To visit the temple is a big climb, up the 437 steps cut into the stone, to the top, but well worth the effort.

This was a part of our trip through southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On our trip, we booked a train ride from Tiruchirappalli (commonly called Trichy), Tamil Nadu, going to Kanyakamuri. Before we boarded the overnight train we spent the day visiting a few of Trichy’s sights. This post is about the Rock Fort Temple. Soon we will post about the other temple we visited, the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. You can read an overview of our trip in this post.

Rock City is situated on the banks of river Kaveri. Trichy is a fine blend of temples and monuments and is a great travel destination. Dominated by the granite rock soaring 84 meters into the skyline, Trichy also hosts the Golden Rock Locomotive Workshop, an Ordinance Factory and REC. The Rock in Rock Fort is one of the oldest in the world-approximately 3,800 million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas.

Rockfort or Ucchi Pillayar koil, is a combination of two famous 7th century Hindu temples, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh and the other dedicated to Lord Shiva, located a top of a small rock in Trichy, India. Geologically the 83m high rock is said to be one of the oldest in the world, dating over 3 billion years ago, and mythologically this rock is the place where Lord Ganesh ran from King Vibishana, after establishing the Ranganathaswamy deity in Srirangam.

The Rock Fort Temple, or Ucchi Pillayar Koil, situated in Trichy, a small city in Tamil Nadu is a combination of two famous 7th century Hindu temples, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh and the other dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located on top, and carved into, a huge rock in Trichy. Rockfort temple history says that, the temple was built by Pallavas on hundred million years old hill in 580 AD. The 83m high rock is said to be one of the oldest in the world, dating over 3 billion years ago, predating Greenland and the Himalayas. We were told that the biggest part of the work to carve out the rock and associated temple construction took 300 men eleven years of effort. To visit the temple is a big climb, up the 437 steps cut into the stone, to the top, but well worth the effort.

The Rock Fort temple complex in Tiruchirappalli is a collection of three temples - the Manikka Vinayaka temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar Kovil at the top of the hill and the Taayumaanava Kovil (Shivastalam) on the hill. This Shivastalam is a rock cut temple on a hill in the most prominent landmark in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy); reached by a flight of steps on the way to the famous Ucchi Pillayar temple.