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Thiruchirapalli 2 - Viralimalai Murugar, Samayapuram & Uthamar kovil

 On our second day in Trichy we began the day with the complimentary buffet breakfast at the hotel. They served continental and south Indian food. The sambhar and vada were not up to the mark but all other items on the spread were good. Continental - bread, jam, butter, juice, kellogs, corn flakes. South Indian - Upma, idly, dosa, kesari, sambhar, vada, chutneys and North Indian - Paratha and fries.

Viralimalai was our first place of visit today. This is some 40 kms away from our hotel. There seems to more ways to reach Varalimalai as we go through the Trichy by pass route. Google maps always shows a different way than the ones suggested by people on road here. This a small hill lock temple of lord Murugar. There is Viralimalai dance drama on this temple as in the form of Kuravanji dance. The temple is an old one dating back to the chola dynasty. We can see Arunagirinathar's poem's engraved on the temple walls. Murugar is known as Lord Shanmuganathar here, he is seen here along with his consorts - Goddess Valli and Goddess Deivanai. It was not much crowded so we took the free queue and had a good darshan of the Lord. 

From we travelled for an hour to reach Samayapuram which was 47 kms away from here. Though we travelled via the by-pass, we had to cross over Trichy centre to reach Samayapuram. Being a Friday, Mariamman temple was heavily crowded. We were asked to park the vehicle in the Santhai complex turned into parking lot. Had to back all the way from the parked area to the temple street where we were surrounded by men offering to take us inside. We were almost forced to take their service and also buy garland and salt for Rs, 300. They took us through short cut straight to the Mariamman darshan. We worshipped the Goddess at close counters and were out of the temple in just 10 mins. We paid the men Rs. 700.

The scorching summer heat was building up on Trichy. So made a decision to go back to the hotel after making it to the Utthamar koil which was just 6 kms away from Samayapuram Mariamman temple.

Uthamar koil houses Shivan Bramma and Vishnu in the same temple complex as a very rare occurance. Each of these God are here along with their consorts. Shiva is Lord Pichandavar here along with Goddess Soundaryaparvathi, Lord Perumal with Goddess Poornavallithayar and Lord Bramma with Goddess Gnanasaraswathi. Temple seems to be build during the Chola empire. Since the main 3 deities are here, its believed that coming to this temple and worshipping them relieves us from any doshams.

From here we reached hotel in an exhausted state. Had veg meals at Kannappas and took a siesta.

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Location: Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India

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