Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry #124: Uchipillayar Temple, Rockfort, Thiruchirapalli
- Sudharshan
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
உச்சிபிளளையார் திருக்கோயில், மலைக்கோட்டை, திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி
Uchipillayar Uchipillayar Uchipillayar Uchipillayar Uchipillayar Uchipillayar
This ancient and famed temple is part of the Rockfort complex in Thiruchirapalli or Trichy. It is one of the three active temples on the rock. At the bottom before you climb up is the Manikka Vinayagar Temple. It is tradional to worship here first before you climb up. Midway is the Thaumanavar- Mattuvakuzhali Amman temple complex which is the dominant and most significant temple. The Uchipillayar temple is a small shrine to Lord Ganesha perched precariously on the very top of the rock formation. However, it remains the most popular and better-known temple.
Legend says that when Vibishanan was returning to Lanka after the coronation of Lord Rama at Ayodhya, he recieved an idol of Lord Vishnu from Rama himself. The condition was that the idol should not be put down until it reached its final destination in Lanka. King Vibishanan and his retinue brought the idol south and broke journey on the island of Srirangam, formed by the bifurcation of the Kaveri into the Kollidam and Kaveri, here at Thiruchirapalli. They were all tired and wanted to sleep. A young cowherd came by and offered to hold the idol while they slept. He had strict instructions not put the idol down. When they woke up, they saw that the young lad had placed the idol on the ground and it could not be moved. Furious, they gave the boy a knock on his head and chased him up the hill only for him to disappear into the Uchipillayar temple at the summit. They realised that the mischievous Lord Ganesha had tricked them into keeping Lord Ranganathar in Thiruchirapalli. To this day the idol of Lord Vinyaka in the Uchipillyar temple has an indentation from the knock on his head.
The temple itself is quite small and not architecturally very impressive. Perhaps its location did not permit grand building efforts. Much of the structure, except for the idol and core elements, look modern. When we visited years ago, the overall easthetics were better, with a series of steps hewn into the bald rock Recently the HR and CE, which administers the temple complex, has put up a series of roofing over the steps, which certainly gives relief from the scorching sun but spoils the overall beauty of an ancient site.
The original temple is believed to have been built by the Pallavas in the 7th century. It was later rebuilt by the Vijayanagar kings and the Nayakkar. It has been renovated in modern times.
The temple is reached by climbing more than 400 steps and is at a height of 273 feet from the base. As you ascend, at a certain point, you turn left to visit the Thauymanavar or turn right to proceed further up to the Uchipllayar. The views are spectacular. As you circumambulate the shrine, you are treated to panaromic views of Thiruchirapalli and its surroundings. The majestic gopurams of Srirangam and Thiruvanaikkaval can be spotted in the distance if the it is a clear day,
The Chithirai Festival in April/May is the main festival. The temple is open from 6 am to 8 pm daily without a midday closure. However, the Manikka Vinayakar temple at the base and the Thayumanavar have midday closures.
The temple is located at the top of the Rockfort complex in Thiruchirapalli or Trichy. Thiruchirapalli is 332 km to the southwest of Chennai and is well connected by modern highways, rail and air. It has an international airport. We visited in January 2005, July 2012 and August 2026. We were based in Thiruchirapalli.
Sources:
Dinamalar Temples: Malaikottai Uchipillyar Temple
Stephen Knapp, Seeing Spiritual India: A guide to Temples, Holy Sites, Festivals and Traditions (2008) iUniverse page 350.
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