Uchi Pillayar Temple
Tiruchirapalli

Presiding Deity:
Ucchi Pillayar

The Uchi Pillayar temple is situated atop a hill in the city of Tiruchirappalli in Tamilnadu. The Rockfort temple complex carved into the hill here features three temples - the Manikka Vinayakar temple at the bottom of the hill, the Uchchi Pillaiyaar temple on top of the hill and the Thayumaanavar temple. 

This shrine was built by the great Pallava king Mahendravarman in the ninth century A.D. This cave temple has the sculpture of Shiva, Parvati and a personification of Cauvery. The matted locks of Shiva are shown bearing the torrents of Ganga. The edict in the temple says that the scene depicts Parvati pleading with Shiva not to dally with Cauvery as she belonged to Mahendravarman. Parvati, it is said, was apprehensive of Shiva's fondness for rivers after his encounter with the tempestuous Ganga. The deity Pillayar is decked in sandal paste and his eyes are penetrating. There is a pit on the top of his forehead, believed to have been created when Vibhishana rapped him on the head in anger.

Legend
Vibhishana, Ravana's brother, was returning to Sri Lanka after witnessing the coronation of Lord Rama at Ayodhya, carrying an image of Ranganatha (Vishnu) given to him by Rama for worship, with the caveat that it would get stuck to the earth if   placed on the ground.
Vibhishana proceeded southward  and for inevitable reasons had to take a break on the banks of the Kaveri where he was met by Ganapati in the guise of a young lad, who promised to care for the image, while he performed his morning rituals.
The lad dropped the image to the ground, enraging Vibhishana and it took root in the soil and is now believed to be the image of Ranganatha at Sree Rangam Temple, while the image of Ganapati is worshipped at the Uchchi Pillaiyaar temple.

 

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