Thirunageswaram Sri Oppiliappan Temple, Thanjavur

Address

Thirunageswaram Sri Oppiliappan Temple, Oppiliyappan koil N St, Thirunageswaram, Tamil Nadu 612204,Phone: 0435 246 3385

Diety

Oppliappan Perumal, Amman: Bhooma Devi

Introduction

Uppiliappan Temple, also known as Thiruvinnagar of Venkatachalapathy Temple is a temple dedicated to god Vishnu, located near Thirunageswaram, a village in the outskirts of the Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is counted as the 60th of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshiped as Uppiliappan and his consort Lakshmi as Bhumi Devi. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity and to have been initiated by the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century AD, with later contributions at different times from Thanjavur Nayaks. The temple has two inscriptions dating from the Chola period, a five-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower), and a granite wall. The complex contains all the shrines and water bodies associated with it. Theertham : Ahotra Pushkarini Agamam / Pooja : Vaikanasam

Puranic Significance

The history of the temple is mentioned in the Brahmanda Purana, one of the eighteen famed Hindu scriptures. Per Hindu legend, Tulasi once did penance to attain closeness to Vishnu. Vishnu responded that his consort Lakshmi would appear under Tulasi’s lap in Tiruvinnagaram. Tulasi appeared in the place where the temple is located. This is mentioned in the 53rd verse of Nammazhwaar in Thiruviruththam. Markandeya Maharishi worshipped Vishnu and desired that Lakshmi should appear as his daughter and Vishnu should become his son-in-law. Once Markandeya was on a holy trip and after reaching Thiruvinnagaram, he felt it was the right place to get his desire fulfilled. Markandeya started a severe penance for thousand years, seeking Lakshmi’s blessings. Lakshmi appeared as a baby under the already incarnated tulasi plant. Markandeya felt Lakshmi’s presence in the form of the baby and realised that part of his desire had been fulfilled. He took possession of the baby and raised her. When the young girl reached adolescence, on the panguni month of Shravana, Vishnu appeared as an old man and asked for the hand of Markandeya’s daughter in marriage. Markandeya replied, “You are very ripe and old, my daughter is too young and she does not even know how to cook with proper salt contents”, to which the old man replied, “If your daughter must cook without salt, then I will still take it as my best food, but I will not leave from here without marrying her”. Markandeya sought Vishnu’s help and then realised using his penance that the old man was Vishnu himself. When he opened his eyes, Vishnu appeared in front of him with conch and chakram as in Vaikundam. Markandeya offered his daughter’s hand in marriage. Per the legend, the temple’s Neyvethiyam (food offering) is always prepared without saltThe name Oppiliappan is a result of this legend. There is also a story behind the tank in this temple. Once a King had consummated with a daughter of a saint and hence the saint cursed him to become a bird. The king lived as a bird and one night when there was a storm, the branch of the tree the bird was sleeping on broke and fell into the water of this tank. The bird regained its original form as the King and since then this is known as the only theerththam that one can do theerth thaadanam even in the night. Since this tank has such healing power in the day as well as night, it is called “Ahoraathra Pushkarani”.The place is called by various names, including “Agasa Nagaram”, “Vaikunda Nagaram”, “Thiruvinnagar”, “Oppiliappan Sannithi” and “Uppiliappan Sannithi”. The presiding deity is also called by various names, including Venkatachalapathy, Thiruvinnagarappan, Oppilaappan, Thanoppillaappan, Uppiliappan and Srinivasa.

Beliefs

It is believed that praying to Lord and Mother in the temple would ensure unity among the couples and cultivate in them the quality of tolerance.

Special Features

The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram (the gateway tower) and enshrined within a granite wall. The complex contains all the shrines and water bodies associated with it. The Sahasradhari plate and pot (kudam) are made of gold for performing Thirumanjanam (ablution) to the presiding deity. The temple also maintains golden sword, diamond crown and gold arm guard for the image of Hanuman. The shrine over the sanctum is plated with gold.he main shrine of the temple houses the image of Oppiliappan in standing posture and it also houses the images of Bhoomidevi and sage Markendeya. The vimana is called Suddhananda, meaning “pure happiness”. The Desika shrine is located near the sancturn sanctorum. On the sides of the first precinct, the shrine of Anjaneya is located on the southern, and Alwars’ and Sri Rama’s on the northern and Ramanuja’s on the eastern sides.The shrine for Maniappan is located in the second precinct in the southern side, while the shrines of Ennappan and the holy birth spot of Bhoomidevi are located in the northern side. Garuda’s shrine is located right opposite the sanctum and right behind the temple mast. The shrine of dancing Krishna is located on the southern side of the main entrance