India (Post Covid-19 Overseas Visit No 7 - My 37 days Free & Easy Visit to Punjab, Rajasthan & Tamil Nadu) City No 15th - Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu - Jan 14 -16 2024 (Day 35 > 37)

 

I LOVE TRICHY !

Happy Pongal Festival ! 

Rock Fort Temple Complex

Day 34 Jan 14 2024 (City No 15 - Tiruchiappali, Tamil Nadu) Travel itinerary: Coimbatore Junction > Tiruchirappalli Junction (total distance 242km by MV Jan Shatabadi train departing 07.30 > 11.30, Chair Car Rp482 = Rm28) - my Number 15th city visit & also the last city of stay in my 37 days Incredible India visit before flying home ! 

Coimbatore > Tiruchirappalli (242km) 

Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Southern India - also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is an ancient city in India's southern Tamil Nadu state, the Kaveri & Kollidam waters flows around Srirangam island which is known for sacred Hindu sites Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, with intricately carved gopurams (lowering gateways) and Jambukeswarar-Akilandeswari Temple, dedicated to the god Shiva, the Rock Fort Temple complex towers over the city center. 

Day 1 (Jan 14 2024) - arriving at the Tiruchirapalli Junction (11.30) & took a auto-rickshaw (Rp150 = Rm8.70, approx 4km) from the train station to our hotel for check-in.

Hotel Accommodation - my 2 nights + 1 extended day (8hrs) stay in Hotel Deepam, Op. Holy Cross College Bus Stop, No 2, W.B. Road, Near R>R Sabha, Tiruchirappalli; total cost (2 nights  + an extended day stay) Rp 2,712 + Rp750 = Rp3,462 = Rm201 twin sharing (Rm101 per pax) 

Lunch (takeaway) from a chicken biryani stall nearby our hotel - Rp80 = Rm4.65 per packet, the best chicken biryani I had tasted thus far in India !   

Evening walk to explore touristy places in Trichy city near Hotel Deepam area (ie West Gate, Srirangam West Gate Pond, I love Tiruchirapalli, Big Bazaar Street, Our lady of Lourdes & St Joseph College, Rock Fort Temple etc) 

1) West Gate, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu - the main guard gate along West Boulevard Road in the city of Tiruchirappalli, all that remains now is the Fort Railway Station lies opposite the Main Guard Gate. 

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2) Srirangam West Gate Pond, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu - a big pond near the west gate of Srirangam, normally Teppam festival is celebrated in this pond during February (Tamil Maasi month). 

3) Big Bazaar Street (near Gandhi Market), Tiruchiarappali, Tamil Nadu -  also near the Rock Fort temple, Trichy's busiest market especially in the early evening, the street was packed with shoppers doing a last minute shopping during the eve of a Pongal festival ! 

4) Light refreshment - savoured a tub of ice dessert (Rp60 = Rm3) with mixed nuts in Big bazaar Street, Tiruchirappalli.  

5) Fresh produce - bought local red apples, guava, tomatoes, potatoes & sweetcorn from these 2 stalls in Big Bazaar Street, Tiruchirappalli for our own prepared dinner & dessert this evening ! The small potatoes,  sweetcorn & guava were sweet, tasty & crunchy to eat fresh or cooked ! 

6) Rock Fort Temple Complex, Tiruchirappalli - locally known as Malaikottai, a historic fortification & temple complex built on an ancient rock (83 meters high), located in the city of Tiruchiappalli on the banks of river Kaveri, there are 2 temples inside, the Ucchi Pillayar Temple & the Thayumanaswani Temple, Rockfort; other local tourist attractions include the famous Pallava-era Ganesha temple & the Madurai Nayak-era fort. 

7) I Love Tiruchiarapalli Selfie Point - this landmark is next to the West Gate, Trichy city. 

8) Pongal Festival, Tirucirappali, Tamil Nadu - a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community, a celebration to thank the sun, Mother Nature & various farm animals that help to contribute to a bumper harvest, a 3 day public holiday was declared in Trichy city at the time of our visit (usually falls on 14 & 15  of January each year) !  Local residents celebrating Pongal in front of their houses. 

9) Our Lady of Lourdes, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu- located in the city of Tiruchirappalli in the state of Tamil Nadu, built in the Gallo-Catholic design, the Church is devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes, the church is considered one of the oldest of the 22 churches in the city which are older than 100 years. 

10) St Joseph College (1844), Tiruchirappalli, Tamail Nadu - a Catholic college in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, established in 1844 by the Society of Jesus & is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions in India, it is currently an affiliated 1st grade college of Bharathidasan University. 

Day 2 (Jan 15 2024, morning) - a public holiday in conjunction with the celebration of the Pongal festival in Trichy city; enjoyed a morning breakfast in a local restaurant opposite the Chathiram Bus Stand & visited the Rock Fort Temple & the surrounding, each of us savoured a plate of a dosa, 2 wada & 2 Idli + dhal gravy etc - total cost is Rs180 = Rm10.50 for this tasty breakfast meal (2 persons) ! 

1) Breakfast in N Padma Restaurant, opposite the Chathiram Bus Stand, Tiruchiarapalli. 

2) Ucchipillaiyar Temple, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu - a 7th century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha located on top of Rock Fort, Trichy, according to legend, this rock is the place where Lord Ganesha ran from King Vibishana, after establishing the Ranganathaswamy deity in Srirangam. 

A panoramic view of Trichy City as seen from The View Point, Rockfort Complex

2) Government Museum, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu - a heritage centre at Tiruchirappalli, located at Rani Mangammal Mahal in Bharathidasan Town, near the super bazaar, the nearest landmark is Rockfort temple, Rani Mangamma Mahal was built by Chokkanatha Nayak, the then ruler of Madurai, closed at the time of my visit due to a Pongal festival !   

Day 3 Jan 15 2024 - had our morning breakfast in the N Padma Restaurant - our 2nd visit as both of us enjoyed eating the deep fried food here ! Main focus of our today's visit is Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple & Tiruvanalkoovil Arulmigu Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari Temple (using auto-rickshaws Rp150 = Rm8.70 per ride) 

                                                                                                                                                      

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Tiruchirappalli, Tamail Nadu - a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, located in Srirangam Tiruchiarappali, Tamil Nadu, India

Tiruvanalkoovil Arulmigu Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari Temple, Tiruchirappali, Tamil Nadu - a temple of Shiva in Trichy district, one of the 5 major Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu representing the Mahabhuta or 5 elements, this temple represents the element of water or neer in Tamil, the sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground stream.

Light lunch - deep fried food & hot tea (takeaway) bought from a food stall nearby the Hotel Deepam.

Saying Bye Bye to Incredible India - departing Hotel Deepam (19.00) by Ola cab (Rs270 = Rm16, approx 6km) to Tiruchirappalli International Airport ETD 22.30 arriving Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2) 05.00. Welcome Home, KM & KF Wong - Home Sweet Home (there is no place like home !) at last thus completing my 4th Incredible India visit (my previous visits to India were in 2007, 2018 & 2019 - facing lots of curiosities & challenges) with my travel buddy (KF Wong) to this fascinating country in Asia having two principal short names ie India & Bharat (Sanskrit term) & a third name, Hindustan  ! 

1) Arriving at the Tiruchirappalli International Airport, Tamil Nadu, India

Arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, Malaysia - Welcome Home, KM & KF Wong ! One up in my world of travelling (including my travel buddy) - shall I plan another one to India, perhaps in the early winter months of 2024 starting from Kerala to Eastern coast of India & up north to Sikkim (a revisit for me) & Assam & Nagaland ? Hope my India dream (not building Indian castle in the air !) can turn into reality one more time in the coming months of 2024 before the dragon year passes by !