Why devotees come here
Uyyakondan Thirumalai Temple stands on a rock on the outskirts of Trichy in Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped here as Uyyakondan, in the form of the lingam, and the temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams. The rock rises about 30 metres, with granite walls around the temple.
The temple stands on a rock about 30 metres tall, surrounded by granite walls. You reach it by a flight of steps. The whole temple is fortified, with the temple tank inside the fortification. The shrine of Vinayagar is cut into the first ten steps. At this temple Shiva became known as Kala-samhara, the Destroyer of Time. Shiva is worshipped here as Uyyakondan, in the form of the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted here as Anjanakshi Amman.
The temple is believed to date from around 950 CE, in the Sembian period of the Cholas. An inscription from the period of Rajaraja I records a crown donated to the temple by Sembiyan Mahadevi in his 10th regnal year. The Tevaram, a 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work by Nayanar saint poets, revered the presiding deity. Today the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Tamil Nadu government maintains and administers the temple.
Legend says the sage Markandeya sought refuge here and embraced the Siva lingam. The same legend places his relief at Thirukkadaiyur.
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