Puliyancholai Falls

A low, forested mountain range of the Eastern Ghats lying mainly in Tiruchirappalli district, with elevations between roughly 500 and 1,400 metres. The evergreen hills are fed by the Kallar and Sweata rivers and are home to tribal settlements and waterfalls such as Mangalam Aruvi and Koraiyar Falls. They are a popular destination for trekking and nature outings from Trichy.

A Vishnu temple on the banks of the Kaveri about 20 km from Trichy, considered an Abhimana Sthalam and often called a southern counterpart of Tirupati. It is renowned for a traditional 48-day cure ritual for mentally ill devotees, who stay within the temple premises. In 1996 the temple established a Tamil Nadu government-licensed mental health rehabilitation centre, the first of its kind in the state.

A 108 Divya Desam dedicated to Vishnu as Pundarikakshan with his consort Pankajavalli, believed to be older than Srirangam. Set on a white rock, it includes two Pallava- and Chola-era rock-cut cave temples, one from Nandivarman II's reign and another from Rajaraja I's. The temple has an ancient stepped tank and inscriptions spanning the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara and Nayak periods.

A popular riverside picnic spot, also called Upper Anaicut, where the Cauvery river bifurcates into the Kollidam and Cauvery branches; the regulator dam is fronted by gardens and boating.

A butterfly conservatory and park in the Srirangam area, a family-oriented nature attraction with landscaped gardens and enclosures for observing native butterfly species.

A Paadal Petra Sthalam Shiva temple about 20 km north of Trichy, praised by the Saivite trio Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. It is unusual for having a dedicated shrine to Yama, the god of death, in a cave-like chamber said to be built by the Pallava king Mahendravarman. Devotees perform Ayush Homa here to overcome the fear of death, and the temple carries inscriptions of Rajaraja I and Rajendra Chola I.

Highly popular pilgrimage shrine to Goddess Mariamman, one of the region's major Shakti temples, drawing especially large crowds during the annual Aadi and Panguni festivals.

One of the 108 Divya Desams, glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Thirumangai Alvar. It is the only temple where the Trimurti - Brahma, Vishnu (worshipped here as Purushothama Perumal) and Shiva - are enshrined together with their consorts in six separate shrines. Built in Dravidian style, it once formed a four-Divya-Desam circuit with Uraiyur, Srirangam and Thiruvellarai.

A prominent Murugan shrine on the outskirts of Trichy that draws regional pilgrims, especially during Skanda Sashti and other Murugan festival days.

Largest functioning Hindu temple complex in the world at 156 acres, dedicated to Vishnu and foremost among the eight self-manifested Vishnu shrines. Its seven concentric enclosures and towering gopurams draw pilgrims year-round.

An ancient roofless-sanctum Shakti temple in Uraiyur, the historic capital of the early Chola dynasty, dedicated to the goddess believed to have blessed the Cholas before battle.

One of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams representing the water element, a major Shaiva pilgrimage site about 2 km east of Srirangam, known for its sanctum built directly over a natural spring.