3 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
Two and a half hours by bus from Madurai and one hour from Tanjore
When to go
From November to May
Minimum stay
One day
Trichy (India)
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David Debrincat
Practical information on Trichy
Reviews of Trichy
At 55 km from Tanjore and 130 from Madurai, Trichy sits between two cities. Its location in the center of Tamil Nadu has made it a large commercial and transport hub.
My suggestion:
There are two train stations in Trichy. Rickshaw drivers shout out to tell people to get off at Trichy Town, five kilometers from the center. Don't listen to them and instead get off at Trichy Junction, right in the city center.
My review
Tiruchirapally – Trichy to friends, and, above all, because it's easier – is the very stereotype of a classic Indian city.
I set foot in this teeming, polluted and traffic-jammed place during my trip to India. The normal sounds of the street are constantly drowned out by the horns of the vehicles. It's not just a cacophony but instead a '"beepophony". As far as the hotel infrastructure goes, I can't really say that Trichy has the best to offer in the country. Cheap places to stay are few and far between and quickly fill up.
But then again, why go to Trichy? Because I found some absolutely magnificent temples here. Firstly, there's the brightly colored, very kitsch Srirangam Temple, where I discovered the gates of paradise. As I'm not in any hurry to enter, I'll come back again in let's say around sixty years. Another place I went to was the less grandiose but just as original Thiruvanaikaval Temple, where an elephant gave me a slobbery blessing by placing its trunk on my forehead. The only thing left to do after that is visit the Rock Fort overlooking the city, which then completes the tour of Trichy.
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David Debrincat
As with Madurai, Tanjore and Chidambaram, people visit Trichy, in Tamil Nadu, for its temple, the Sri Ranganathaswamy.
My suggestion:
The temple is situated on an islet at Srirangam, at 8km from the centre of Trichy and is easily reached by public transport. You can find a place to stay near the bus or railway stations.
My review
During my holiday in India, I saw several stunning temples, but I have to say the temple at Trichy left me speechless. It's even bigger than the Sri Meenakshi de Madurai Temple and a lot calmer. Another must-see: the Rock Fort, a temple perched on a large crag.
Sri Ranganathaswamy comprises of seven tiers, but the first three have been turned into shopping areas. Things not to miss include the view from terrace on the 4th tier, the 'gates to Paradise' in the sanctuary (you'll see Indians going down on bended knee - ask them why!), as well as the columns depicting horses battling with tigers. The latter represents Hindus fight Muslims.
I also met a French teacher and was invited to give a course on French culture in the Jamal Mohamed College. It was brilliant, even if the boys were a bit taken aback by seeing a girl in their scholastic environment!
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juliesjourneys.fr
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