Ciramalai, Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort
The Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort is a 83m high rock which houses temples, at the foot of the hill and on his top: The Thayumanavar Temple and the Matturvarkuzhal Ammai Temple, dedicated to Shiva and Parvati, the Ucchi Pillaiyar Temple, dedicated to their son, Ganesh at the top of the rock, and the Lalitankura-Pallavesvaragriham temple, also dedicated to Shiva.
The Saivite temple of Lalitankura is one of the cave-temple of the hill, also called “upper cave temple”. It is attributed to the Pallava king Mahendravarman I and dated in the first half of the 7th CE. The sanctuary is decorated by bas-reliefs depicting Shiva as Gangadhara and two Dvarapala protecting the garbhagriha. It also shelters numerous inscriptions : birudas bore by Mahendravarman I and the Tiricirāmalai Antāti poem.
