Tiruchirapalli, more commonly referred to as Trichy, lies 320 km to the south of Chennai, on the banks of the Cauvery. Trichy itself, has a long history, going back to the centuries before the Christian era, when it was a Chola citadel. The Pandyas and Pallavas held sway over the region for short periods. In the 12th century, Cholas were subverted by the Vijayanagar kings of Hampi, who proudly withstood the invading Muslims. Less than fifty years later, the Nayaks of Madurai came to power, constructed the Rock Fort, and firmly established Trichy as the trading city.

Tiruchirappalli now called Trichy is situated on the banks of the Cauvery river. Trichy, the fourth largest city in the state was a citadel of the early Cholas which later fell to the Pallavas. But the Pallavas never really managed to retain control of this strategic city and lost it to the Pandyas several times. The struggle for power between the Pallavas and Pandyas continued till 10th centuryas the Cholas asserted and assumed the reigns until the deadline of the century.

When this empire collapsed in 1565, Trichy came to be under the rule of the Nayaks of Madurai, the Marathas, the Nawabs of Carnatic, the French and finally the British. But it was under the Nayaks of Madurai that Trichy prospered in its own right and grew to be the city that it is today. The city is a fine blend of the traditions and modern and is built around the Rock Fort. Apart from the fort there are several churches, colleges and missions dating back to the 1760s. With excellent infrastructure facilities Trichy is a good base to see east-central TamilNadu.