Trichy

     Tiruchirapalli, called Tiruchi or Trichy in Short, was built by the Nayak rulers of Madurai around a rock fort. Tiruchi is on the banks of the Kaveri river and is famous for the Ranganatha Temple at Srirangam, 10 km away. The Rock fort is the center of the city and is a remarkable structure. About 83 meters high, the fort dominates the landscape. The Uchi pillaiyer Temple dedicated to lord Vinayaka or Ganesha. A total of 344 steps, cut into the rock lead to the temple. There is also the Tyaumanaswami Temple of lord Shiva half way up the hillock. There are also two cave temples in the fort with sculptures dating back to the 6^th and 7^th centuries. The Sri Jambukeswara Temple, at Tiruvankkaikaval, Srirangam is an island in the Kaveri river, north of Tiruchirapalli. The Ranganathaswami Temple here, built around 13^th-14^th centuries has 21 towers and stone pillars covered with fine carvings. Thrissur ( earlier Trichur), the name derived from 'Tiru-Shiva-Perur' (the town with the name of Lord Shiva) is dubbed the cultural capital of Kerala. The town is built around a hillock. Periyar, Chalakudy, Karuvannur and Bharatha Puzha are the major rivers in the district. The district has a forest area of 103619 hector. Thrissur's emergence to town and cultural centre is attributed to Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as 'Sakthan Thampuran', who was the king of Cochin in 1790. In different periods, Thrissur had fallen to Portuguese, Dutch and British forces.

 The most famous land mark of this bustling town is the Rockfort Temple, a spectacular monument perched on a massive rocky out crop which rises abruptly from the plain to tower over the old city. It is reached by the flight of steep steps cut into the rock and from its summit you get a fantastic view of the town plus its other main landmark, Sri Ranganatha Swami Temple ( Srirangam). Shrouded in a haze of coconut palms away to the north, Sri    Ranganatha Swami temple is one of the largest and most interesting temple complexes in India, built on an island in the middle of Cauvery river and covering a staggering 2.5 square kilometers. There is also another huge temple complex near by the Jambukeshwara Temple.


Tiruchi : Tiruchi itself is an industrial town, where a number of industries flourish. The important industries are BHEL, OFT, HAPP and Golden Rock Railway Work Shop. 

Karur (74 km) : Karur is a place where handloom industry is one of the main occupations of the people. The bed linen and floor spreads are very famous all over India.

Karaikudi (103 km) : Karaikudi and the neighbouring towns hold excellent examples of Chettinadu architecture. The people of Chettinadu were traders and financiers who valued high living and maintained old traditions. They built sprawling houses which today stand testimony to their taste and love for beautiful things.

Kumbakonam (92 km) : Kumbakonam is well known for its brassware.

Pugalur (87 km) : Pugalur is the paper-town, housing the Tamilnadu Newsprint and Papers Limited, a major paper - manufacturing company of south India.