Thirupper Nagar Sri Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple- Thanjavur

Address

Thirupper Nagar Sri Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple, Budalur taluk, Tanjavur, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613105 , Phone: 099524 68956

Diety

Appakkudanthaan Perumal (Vishnu) Amman: Indira Devi

Introduction

Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple or Thirupper Nagar, is a Vishnu temple located in Koviladi, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the Divya Desams—the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints or Alwars. This temple is located along the banks of the Cauvery River and is one of the five Pancharanga Kshetrams located on the banks of the Cauvery River. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity, with contributions at different times from the Medieval Cholas. The temple is built on an elevated structure and is approached through a flight of 21 steps. The rajagopuram (the main gateway) has three tiers and the temple has a precinct around the sanctum. Thala Virutcham : Purasa tree Theertham : Indira Pushkarini Agamam / Pooja : Pancharatra Agama

Puranic Significance

As per Hindu legend, the king Ubhamanyu earned the wrath of sage Durvasar and lost all his physical strength. To get rid of the curse, he was asked to feed one lakh people everyday. One day, Hindu god Vishnu disguised himself as an old man, appeared before the king and asked for a meal. The king went on donating and the old man consumed all the food prepared for the people. The king was shocked and bewildered at this strange act. The old man asked for a kudam (pot) of Neyyaappam (a sweatmeal), stating that only it can fulfill his hunger. The king fulfilled the wish and later realised that it was Vishnu who had appeared as the old man. The king was relieved of the sage’s curse by the blessings of Vishnu. Because of the legend, Vishnu is called “Appakkudathaan” in the temple. It is believed that this temple is where sage Markandeya was liberated from his curse from Yama (god of death), who cursed Markandeya to die at 16 years old. The presiding deity is Ranganatha, who is believed to have crushed Indira’s (a celestial deity) pride.The place is called “Koviladi” because it is located downstream of the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, which is referred as kovil in Vaishnava tradition. The temple is called as “Tiruppernagar” because the region was called “Per Nagar” during Chola times. The azhwars refer the place as “Tiruppernagar” in Nalayira Divya Prabandam, a Vaishnava canon.The temple has inscriptions from the 18th year of the reign of Aditya Chola.

Beliefs

This is the only Divya Desam where Neyyappam is offered to the Lord every night as neivedhyam. There is a belief that childless couples upon praying and offering butter with sugar to the Santhanagopalan deity at the temple are blessed with children.

Special Features

The temple has a three-tiered rajagopuram facing west and an elevated structure approached through 21 steps. The Moolavar (presiding deity) of the temple, “Appala Rangan”, is seen in Bhujangasayanm (a reclining posture) facing west and is surrounded by Bhooma Devi and Kamala Valli Thaayar. The central deity is depicted in a reclining posture called pujanga sayanam, and he is shown holding the holy pot in his right hand. The sanctum also contains the image of Upayamanyu and Dhurvarsa. The central deity is called Appala Ranganathar; he is located away from the Ranganathar in Srirangam.

Festivals

The major festivals celebrated in the temple are 13-day Panguni Brahmotsavam, Kaisika Dwadasi in Karthigai (November – December), Teertha Vari at the River Cauvery on the day of Maasi Magam (February – March) and Nammazhwar Moksham during Era Pathu in Margazhi (December – February). The chariot festival is the most prominent festival of the temple and the surrounding villages. It is celebrated during the Tamil month of Panguni (April–May); devotees pull a chariot round the streets of Koviladi. i Vaikunta Ekadashi during December–January, Navarathri during September–October.