Malaikottai Temple: Your Ultimate Guide To A Spiritual Journey

Wide angle view of the temple with the clear blue sky in the background

Malaikottai Temple, also known as Rock Fort Temple, is located on the Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort, which is the ancient rock where the temple is built on it. There are two Hindu temples inside this complex, which are Uchipillayar Temple and ThayumanaSwamy Temple. There are 417 steps to reach the temple and it has a thousand-pillar mandapam, which is very beautiful and where many weddings are celebrated. The complex is also divided into a lower cave temple and an upper cave temple, with many other deities present inside.

Location

 An old picture inside the Malaikottai Temple with a small lake in the center

Photo: Sukirti Vardhan / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only

Malaikottai Temple is located on the Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort, which is built on ancient rock. It is located in the heart of the city and it is situated on the banks of the Kaveri River in Tiruchirapalli city in Tamil Nadu. This is constructed on an 83 m high rock. The ThayumanaSwamy Temple is located at the foot of the rock hill, and the Uchi Pillayar temple is located on the top of the rock fort hill.

How To Reach Malaikottai Temple

 A building from the temple complex offering a glimpse into culture and tradition

Photo: Nakkeeran Raveendran / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only

By Air: the nearest airport to Malaikottai Temple is Tiruchirapalli International Airport, which is 9.5 km away.

By Rail: Trichy Railway Junction is the nearest railway station to Malaikottai Temple, which is 3 km away and Tiruchirapalli Railway Station is 5.2 km away from the temple.

By Road: by bus, Trichy Central Bus Stand is 4 km away from Malaikottai Temple and there are many taxis and cabs available from different parts of the city.

Places To Visit Near Malaikottai Temple

Here are a few places to visit near Malaikottai Temple that are popular among the tourists to explore the place in a better way:

1. Ucchi Pillayar Temple

The way to Ucchi Pillayar Temple that is within the Malaikottai Temple Complex

Photo: Vinayaraj / Wikimedia Commons

Ucchi Pillayar Temple that is dedicated to Lord Ganesha as a 7th century temple that is located on the top of the rock fort in Tamilnadu. According to a legend, this rock is the place where Lord Ganesha ran from King Vibhishana after establishing the Ranganathaswamy dating in Srirangam. This temple is located at a height of 83 metres. This rock was first cut by the Pallavas and completed by the Nayaks of Madurai under the Vijayanagara empire.

Location: Arulmigu Uchi Pillayar Temple, 51, Chinna Kadai St, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
Timings: 6 AM – 12 PM and 4 PM – 8 PM

2. ThayumanaSwamy Temple

Ceilings of temple which is located at the foothills the temple complex

Photo: Ssriram mt / Wikimedia Commons

ThayumanaSwamy Temple, which is also a part of the Malaikottai temple complex, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. The deities in this temple have been there since the 7th century. According to a legend, a woman named Ratnavati, who is a huge devotee of Lord Shiva, requested her mother to come over for her labour, but she could not, and that is when Shiva was moved by her devotion and came in the form of her mother and her.

Location: Sri Thayumanavar Temple, Big Bazaar St, Melachinthamani, Tiruchirappalli
Timings: 6 AM – 12 PM , 4 PM – 8:30 PM

3. Kallanai Dam

A beautiful view of the Kallanai Dam near Malaikottai Templ

Photo: Vinayaraj / Wikimedia Commons

Kallanai Dam, which is built across the Kaveri River, is over 1079 feet high and 66 feet wide. It is an ancient dam that was constructed nearly 2000 years ago with one of the oldest functional water regulator structures in the country. This place is often visited by the locals for picnics to watch the sunset and there are many new developments around, like a park made for kids and families to sit and relax.

Location: Kallanai, Tamil Nadu
Timings: 7 AM – 6:30 PM
Distance From Malaikottai Temple: 17.3 km

4. Butterfly Park

 A creative entrance gate of the Butterfly Park nearby the temple complex

Photo: Balajijagadesh / Wikimedia Commons

The butterfly park located in Trichy is part of a tropical butterfly conservatory tree that is over 25 acres of land. This park has well-laid outlines with floral patches, playground equipment for kids and a boating facility in the pond. There is also a fountain, a garden, a large butterfly glass house and refreshment huts with many nectar flowers and plants to attract the butterfly. There are a variety of butterflies found in this place.

Location: Tropical Butterfly conservatory, Tropical Butterfly Conservatory Campus Srirangam Taluk road, Melur
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Distance From Malaikottai Temple: 11.8 km

5. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

The tallest gopuram of Ranganathaswamy Temple, showcasing detailed architecture

Photo: Richard Mortel / Wikimedia Commons

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, located in SrirangAM -wn, Trichy, is devoted to Lord Ranganatha, a form of Lord Vishnu. This temple is surrounded by an area of 156 acres that is constructed in Indian style of architecture. This temple is the largest functional temple in the entire world, with amazing architecture and 21 gopuram surrounding it.

Location: Sri RanganathaSwamy Temple, Srirangam, Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
Timings: 6 AM – 7:30 AM, 9 AM – 12 PM and 1:15 PM – 6 PM and 6:45 PM – 9 PM
Distance From Malaikottai Temple: 6.6 km

Where To Stay

Double bedrooms provided at hotels near Malaikottai Temple

Photo: J o / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only

There are a few popular hotels near Malaikottai Temple or the Rock Fort at budget-friendly prices, with hygiene surroundings and with many amenities provided like clean rooms, AC, free breakfast, restaurants, housekeeping services, safety and security laundry services, parking and many more. There are hotels like Grand Stay, Grande Inn, PLA Residency, Coastal Grand Hotel, Hotel Rhythm Grand Suite, Sri Maharaja Residency and many more.

Where To Eat

Dosa, a south Indian dishes, served at the restaurant near Malaikottai Temple

Photo: SteveR- / Wikimedia Commons

There are many restaurants near the Malaikottai Temple with a variety of food items of the South Indian cuisine and vegetarian options. Most of the restaurants are maintained with hygiene and cleanliness. There are a few restaurants like Hotel Surya Veg, Sri Annapoorani Restaurant, Vasanta Bhavan, Shri Sangeeth’s, Ananda Bhavan, Sri Gowri Krishna Restaurant and many more.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit this fort is the winter stretch of the year

Photo: Budi Puspa Wijaya / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only

The best time to visit this temple is between the months of October to March because during these months the climate is cool, which is ideal to climb the rockfort and also visit a few more places around, unlike during the summer, which is a bit exhausting to climb the rockfort. The temple is open from 6 AM – 12 PM and 4 PM – 8 PM, or sometimes 8:30 PM.

Other Factors To Consider

Detailed carvings that tell many stories on the walls of the Malaikottai Temple

Photo: World Wanderer / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only

Average Cost Of The Trip

Taking into account the stay at a budget friendly hotel along with food and various travel expenses it may cost up to ₹2000 to ₹2500 .

Tips For Travellers

  • It is recommended to visit the temple early in the morning, or evening as it can be very hot in the afternoons
  • Wear comfortable clothing, bring a cap and sunglasses to protect while climbing
  • There are 437 steps to reach the top part of the temple
  • Enjoy the view of the entire city and the Kaveri River from the top

Malaikottai Temple, also known as the Rock Fort Temple, is located on the Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort. It is famous for its architecture, temple complex and beautiful paintings inside the temple. This temple is the best place to have an exciting climb up the stairs and to explore the unique culture of Tamil Nadu. So, plan your trip to this temple with Trip XL!

Cover Photo: Karan Suthar / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only

Frequently Asked Questions

The best time to visit Malaikottai Temple is between the months of October to March because during this month it is cooler.
There are two temples inside the Malaikottai temple complex. They are Ucchi Pillayar Temple and ThayumanaSwamy Temple.
There are two railway stations near Malaikottai Temple. They are Trichy Railway Junction, which is 3 km away and Tiruchirapalli Railway Station, which is 5.2 kilometres away
There are many places to visit near Malaikottai Temple. They are Kallanai Dam, Butterfly Park, Sri Ranganathaswamy temple and many more.
Malaikottai temple is famous for its inter-temple complex that is built on ancient rock and its great history that holds the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu.

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