Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

Uchi Pillayar Temple Legends :

Lord Vinayaga plan to retain Vishnu Idol in Srirangam - Vibhishana, was the younger brother of the Asura King Ravana who ruled Lanka. Lord Rama in the epic of Ramayana rescues his wife Sita, who was kidnapped and held by Ravana, with the help of Sugriva and Hanuman defeated him. In this war, the moral and truth-abiding brother of Ravana, Vibishana aids Rama in his battle against his brother. Ultimately Rama wins the war and as a token of love, he gives Vibishana a Vigraham (idol for worship) of Lord Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu. Vibhishana though he supported Rama, was basically an Asura, hence the Devas (who are arch rivals to Asuras as per Hindu mythology) wanted to stop this idea of an Asura taking Lord's supreme form to his Kingdom. They request the help of the Remover of obstacles and God of learning, Lord Vinayaka and the Lord accepts the plan. Vibhishana, while on his back to his Kingdom, goes through Trichy, and wanted to take his bath in the river Kaveri and do his daily rituals.

However, he is perplexed as the deity, once kept in land, can never be removed and has to be in that place forever. As a solution, Vibishana tries to find someone to hold the deity while he was taking bath. He finds the Lord Vinayaka under disguise of a cowherd boy. As per the plan, when Vibishana is fully into water, Vinayaka takes the deity and keeps it firmly in sand, in the banks of Kaveri. On seeing this, the angry Vibhishana chases the boy, to punish him, and boy keeps running and climbs over the rock near the Kaveri bank. Vibhishana finally reaches the boy and hits him on the fore-head. One can see a pit in the forehead of the idol even today. The little boy then reveals himself to be Vinayaka. Vibishana immediately apologizes and the Lord gives him his blessings, reveals that the idol is destined to remain in Srirangam and sends him off to Lanka. This is similar in many regards to the story of Lord Ganesha in Gokarna with Ravana in the same Ramayana period. 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 Thayumanaswami temple, in the rock which Vinayaka used to escape Vibishana.

Association with Manicka Vinayagar - Uchi Pillayar is always associated with Manicka Vinayagar at the foothills. It is a general worship practice to pray obeisance with Manicka Vinayagar before visiting Uchi Pillayar. 

Tirishiramalai - According to Hindu mythology, the city Tiruchirappalli derives its name from legend associated with the Thayumanaswami Temple. Demon Tirishira (demon with three heads) was on penance on Lord Shiva. Though many years passed, Lord Shiva delayed his darshan to test his purity. He threw two of his heads in fire and was about to throw the third, Lord appeared before him and restored his two heads. As requested by him, Lord Shiva agreed to stay here in the name of Thirisira Nathar (based on demon Tirishira story). The place came to be known as Tirishiramalai, now changed as Trichy.

Thiri Sikarapuram - There are also stories that since there are three peaks on Rock Fort, occupied by three Gods Shiva, Parvathi & Vinayakar (Uchi Pillaiyar), the place was called Thiri-sikarapuram and later called Tirisirapuram.

Contest between Adisesha and Vayu - A furious contest arose between Adisesha and Vayu to decide the supremacy of their prowess. The condition was to shake violently Mount Kailash. Defeating Adisesha, when Vayu broke the mount, the top of the Kailasam was disturbed by Vayu (air) and thrown in three places and this is considered one among them and that is why this is called Dakshina Kailasam.

Thayumana Swamy Legend : As per the Legends, an ardent devotee Ratnavati became pregnant, her mother went to help her during delivery time. Ratnavati lived on the north bank of the river Cauvery, which flows thru Tiruchirapalli. As the baby delivery time approached, Ratnavati’s mother had to go to Tiruchirapalli, crossing the river which was flooding. A worried Ratnavati prayed to the Lord 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 Lord who came in the form of her Mother. Thayum ana means “One who became the Mother”. It is believed that the original temple entrance was facing East and now it is in the opposite direction. As per the Legends, Sage Sarama an ardent devotee of Lord Siva used to grow a special flower in his garden for the Lord. 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. King ignored the complaint after knowing from the guard that the queen ordered for these flowers. Sage cried a lot before the Lord as he was not able to perform Pooja. Lord Siva became angry that He averted his benign glance from the capital city of Urayiur. This caused a rain of soil to fall on the city, the worried king prayed for Vekkali Amman ( a form of Goddess Parvati), who pacified the Lord.