PRASANNA VENKATASALAPATHI TEMPLE, THURAIYUR

Arulmigu Prasanna Venkatachalapathi temple lies at the top of Perumalmalai that lies 960 feet above ground level in pachaimalai hills, 3 km from Thuraiyur in Tiruchirappalli district. This temple is said to be constructed by the grand son of Karikal Chozhan. The kings are later named as Karuppannar and Veeraswamy and are worshipped in the temple .Musical pillars are seen here. The stone sculptures of ten avathars of Lord Vishnu are here. The Goddess here is named as Alamelumangai Thayar..All the Saturdays of Tamil month of 'puratasi' (September-October ) are celebrated in a grand manner, during which time more number of pilgrims are visiting this temple .Hundreds of devotees are taking part in the Girivalam procession around the Perumalmalai hillock on all full-moon days.

KORANGANATHA TEMPLE- SRINIVASANALLUR

Koranganatha temple situated on the banks of the river Cauvery at Srinivasanallur about 50 kms from Tiruchy on the Tiruchy - Salem highway, has some of the finest early Chola stone sculptures and with good architecture .This heritage temple, declared as a monument by ASI , is not a living temple.

VENKATESA PERUMAL TEMPLE- GUNASEELAM

Arulmigu Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple lies 16 Kms from Tiruchirappalli at Gunaseelam, on the northern banks of the river Cauvery During the Uchi kala pooja ( 11:30 am to 12:30 hrs ) and Artha Jama Pooja ( 08: 30 PM ) the holy water is sprinkled on the devotee which is said to be expiating all kinds of evil effects and mind diseases. During the whole Dhanu month( Dec - Jan ) Koodaravalli and Vaikunda Ekatasi festivals take place. Apart from that Purattasi saturdays , float festival and Brahmotsavam are also important festivals here . Annual festival is celebrated during the month of September-October with the famous car festival.

NEELLIVANESWARAR TEMPLE THIRUPAINGILI

Arulmigu Viswanathar temple , otherwise called Neelivaneswarar temple lies 20 kms north - west of Tiruchirappalli . The Sorudaieeswarar shrine associated with the divine poet Appar , Athikara Vallavar ( Somaskander ) who gave rebirth to Yama ( god of death ) cave shrine , the Siva rock hewn shrine is said to be done by Mahendravarma Pallava , otherwise called Gunabaran ,during 640 AD .

Plantain tree is workshipd here and poojas are performed to the tree .which has been decorated and worshipped . Both men and women, including Christians and even Muslims perform poojas to the plantain tree especially on the Sundays and Fridays. All the articles needed for the special poojas are also available in the temple campus itself, he added. The temple has preserved hundreds of invitations received from those whose marriages have been solemnized after they performed the poojas.

There is no Navagraha shrine separately as the steps leading to the main shrine is said to be Navagrahas. In front of statue of the Nandhi, the Navagrahas are prayed by lighting the stone cavern hole lamps made on the floor. The name of the goddess is Vishalakshi/ Neelnedunkanni amman.

There are many stone inscriptions in this temple. Rajendra chola - I Rajathi Rajan-I and Chola kings donated for regular daily poojas and maintenance of the temple. Chinnandavar & Periyandavar, rural guardian deities are also located in the temple premises. Karthigai festival is a noted festival here. This temple is also called ' south kailash'. The statue of Suthamahamunivar lies in the outer precincts of the temple. The shrine of lord vishnu named Senthamaraikannan lies inside the temple.

There is also a good fresh water spring 2 kms north of the temple on the way to Arulmigu Pundarikatsha Perumal temple, Thiruvellarai 2 kms from the spring .

MARAGATHALESWARASWAMI TEMPLE THIRUENGOIMALAI

Thiruengoimalai Arulmigu Maragathaleswara swami Temple lies 40 kms from Tiruchirappalli and 5 kms from Musiri, Taluk headquarters in Tiruchirappalli District. Thiruengoimalai lies between Musiri and Thottiam. The hillock is otherwise called Maragathamalai / Thenkailayam / Sivasakthimalai / Malaikovil / Erattaimalai. Name of the Goddess is Maragathambigai / Maragathavalli. God is also named as Maragathasalanathar/ Malaikozhundar / Achutheeswarar / Birameswarar / Indreekarar / Threethar.

The river Cauvery passes nearby the hillock. The river 'Surpanathi' passes adjoining the hillock. The river is otherwise called Kondayurumarai or Kondamarai. The name is said to be a corruption of Thiru-i-ongaimalai ('the' holy high bees 'mountains')and to have been so called because the sage Agastya , finding the gates of the Siva temple closed one evening, turned himself into a bee and so obtained entrance to perform his worship. The lingam of the temple is said to be transparent and also to throw a green shadow when camphor is burned. It is therefore called the ('Emerald') Maragathalingam.The god is connected with the deities of kadambarkovil and Ratnagiri. At all these three temples Mondays in Karthigai and the Taipoosam day are special holy days. The temple is sung in Devaram also. At the base of the temple lies Bogar Sidha temple. 500 vertical steps lead to the temple at the top of the hillock. Poet Nakkeerar has sung a booklet named Eengoi-Ezhupathu ( 70 Eengoi songs)

MATRARI VARATHAR TEMPLE THIRUVASI

Tiruvasi (the corruption of its ancient name of Tiruppachil Asramam) is on the northern bank of river Kollidam (Coleroon). There lies Matrarivaradar and Balambigai temple 12 kms from Tiruchy on the road to Musiri and Salem. On the northern bank of Kollidam and on the south side of the main road, there is an ancient early Chola temple of the period of Aditya I called that of Tiruk-Kadambatturai Udaiya Mahadevar (now named Matsyapurisvarar temple) at Tudaiyar.

AMALEESVARAR TEMPLE- GOPURAPATTI

This is a small village west of Tiruvasi (alias Tirupachil Asramam). There is an early Chola temple in ruins here, but scientifically renovated and restored to its barest original form. Lord of the temple is called Thiru Amaleesvaram Udaiya Mahadevar in the inscriptions. Other temples in the Agri., field are also worth visiting.