73.106.253.181 at 20:19, 21 March 2022

2022-03-21T20:19:57Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Oppiliappan Temple
| image = Uppliyappan Kovil.jpg
| alt = The [[gopuram|rajagopuram]] (gateway tower) of the temple, depicting the pyramidal structure
| caption = The [[gopuram|rajagopuram]] (gateway tower) of the temple
| map_type = Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu
| coordinates = {{coord|10|57|41.63|N|79|25|53.73|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = Thiruvinnagar
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thanjavur district|Thanjavur]]
| locale = [[Thirunageswaram]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = {{Plainlist|
* Oppiliappan Perumal ([[Vishnu]])
* [[Bhumi Devi]]
}}
| festivals = [[Rama Navami]], [[Vaikuntha Ekadasi]], Sravanam Festival
| tower = Suddhananda Vimana
| temple_tank = Ahoraathra Pushkarani
| architecture = [[Cholas]]
| website = {{url|http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.tnhrce.in/}}, [http://www.oppiliappan.org oppiliappan.org]
}}

'''Oppiliappan Temple''', also known as '''Thiruvinnagar''' of '''Venkatachalapathy Temple''' is a temple dedicated to Aasevaga 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 architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple is glorified in the ''[[Divya Prabandha]]'', the early medieval [[Tamil literature|Tamil]] canon of the [[Alvars|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 Oppiliappan 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 Nayak kingdom|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.

Oppiliappan is believed to have appeared for sage [[Markandeya]] and Hindu gods [[Bhūmi|Bhoomadevi]], [[Brahma]] and [[Shiva]]. The temple observes six daily rituals and three yearly festivals. The chariot festival, celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of "Panguni" (March–April), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref>[http://www.tnhrce.org/hrce_act_1959.html Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959]</ref>

==Legend==
[[File:Temple Elephant, oppiliappan temple.jpg|200px|left|Temple elephant|thumb]]
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 ''[[Phalguna|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 [[Sudarshana Chakra|chakram]] as in [[Vaikunta|Vaikundam]]. Markandeya offered his daughter's hand in marriage. Per the legend, the temple's ''[[Naivedhya|Neyvethiyam]]'' (food offering) is always prepared without salt.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|year=1974|edition=1st|page=29}}</ref>

The 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".<ref name="hindu">{{cite news|title=Oppiliappan Rama Navami festivities end today|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Kumbakonam|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/oppiliappan-rama-navami-festivities-end-today/article4665499.ece|date=29 April 2013|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref><ref name="legend">{{cite web|title=History of the temple|url=http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.org/history.html|publisher=Oppiliappan Temple administration|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref><ref name="Sravan"/><ref>[[#Ayyar|Ayyar]] 1991, p. 348</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=426|title=Sri Oppiliappan temple|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> 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 Srinivasan.<ref>[[#Original|Swamigal 2003]], p. 14</ref>

==History==
[[File:Uppiliappan koil1.JPG|200px|thumb|left|View of the [[Pushkarni|temple tank]]]]
It is not clear from the inscriptions and records when the temple was initiated, but there are inscriptions from the [[Medieval Cholas]] period indicating generous gifts to the temple. There are two inscriptions recorded from the [[Rahu Stalam|Naganathar Temple]] in [[Tirunageswaram]]. The epigraph numbered 211 of 1911 on the northern wall of the central shrine indicates gift of gold jewel worked in gems and pearls to the temple from the Chola king Parakesarivarman, alias [[Rajendra Chola I]] (1012–44 CE). The second inscription numbered 218 of 1911 on the shrine's southern wall indicates a gift of land to the temple in the 14th year of the Chola king Rajaraja Rajakkesarivarman I.<ref>{{cite web|title=Temple inscriptions|url=http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.org/inscription.html|publisher=Oppiliappan Temple administration|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref><ref>[[#Ayyar|Ayyar]] 1991, p. 344</ref><ref>[[Official|Swamigal 2003]], p. 13</ref>

The tradition in many ancient temples in Tamil Nadu including this one is that the original image of the presiding deity is made of wood and replaced later with stone.<ref>{{cite book|title=Essays On Indian Art And Architecture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BT77yuqxGj4C&pg=PA132|page=132|last=Kumar|first=Raj|publisher=Discovery Publishing House|year=2003|isbn=9788171417155}}</ref> There were a lot of additions made to the temple by [[Govinda Dikshitar]], the minister of successive Nayak rulers, [[Achuthappa Nayak]] (1560–1614) and [[Raghunatha Nayak]] (1600–34).<ref>{{Cite book |last=V.|first=Vriddhagirisan|title=Nayaks of Tanjore |year=1942 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-0996-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GD_6ka-aYuQC&q=uppiliappan&pg=RA1-PA38|ref=V.|page=107}}</ref> The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Architecture==
[[File:Pillared hall at the Oppiliappan temple in Thirunageswaram.jpg|thumb|Elephant and mahout walking through the pillared hall.]]
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.<ref name="hindu1">{{cite news|title=Jewels for Oppiliappan|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Kumbakonam|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/jewels-for-oppiliappan/article2033169.ece|date=20 May 2011|access-date=7 July 2013|last=G.|first=Srinivasan}}</ref> The 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 (architectural feature)|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.<ref name=p18>[[#official|Swamigal 2003]], p. 18</ref>

A marble hall is located on the western side in the inner precinct acts as the resting hall for the festival deities during festivals. Dolotsavam festival is celebrated in Another marble hall in the northern side of the temple. Adjoining the hall, there is a shrine where the images of Rama, [[Lakshmana]], [[Sita]] and Hanuman are housed. The sacred bed chamber called Tiruppalliarai, covered full of mirrors is located next to it. A Yaga sala for performing religious rituals is present in the temple. The temple has a hall for housing festival vehicles, a library, and a hall with edight carved pillars on the banks of the temple tank, where the annual float-festival is celebrated. The Kodimandapa, located to the south of the Garuda shrine, is used for several day-to-day religious practices. The annual Kalyana Utsavam festival is performed in the hall amidst music and dance programmes.

The temple is considered the southern counterpart of [[Tirumala Temple|Thirupathi]] temple and hence devotees perform their marriages and vows as they do in Thirupathi.<ref>[[#Ayyar|Ayyar]] 1991, p. 544</ref> Outside the main complex, the temple maintains two marriage halls, a rest house containing five rooms, two other halls, a housing each for the small chariot and the big chariot. There is a garden around the third precinct of the temple and a much bigger garden about {{convert|0.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the south of the temple, where Tulasi and flowers are grown. A hall in the garden is used for resting deities during the Vasantotsavam festival celebrated for six days in May–June every year.<ref name="temple">{{cite web|title=The Temple shrines|url=http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.org/struture.html|publisher=Oppiliappan Temple administration |access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India |first=Ambujam |last=Anantharaman|publisher=East West books|year=2006 |isbn=8188661422|ref=Ambujam Anantharaman|page=54}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Temples of Tamilnadu – Volume 3 of Heritage series|publisher=Vasan Publications|year=2001|last=Rao|first=A. V. Shankaranarayana|pages=92–93}}</ref>

==Festivals and religious practices==
[[File:Uppiliappan koil2.JPG|200px|thumb|right|View of the shrine from the temple tank]]
The temple follows Vaigasana Agama and follows [[Vadakalai|Vadagalai]] practices. During the Viswaroopa Seva, the first worship, Suprapada Prabarthi Mangalam, a verse exclusively dedicated to Oppiliappan is relayed. ''Thiruppavai'' is relayed after it, followed by ''naivethana'' in all shrines. Uchikalam is the last worship during the day time and happens at noon. During the evening, ''mutharkalam'' is the first worship sequence, recitals in ''Veda'' and Nithsuasandamam. Arthajamam is the last ''puja'' of the day.<ref name=p19>[[official|Swamigal 2003]], p. 19</ref>

The chariot festival is the most prominent festival of the temple, celebrated for nine days during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Panguni'' (March–April) and devotees from various places pull the chariot round the streets of temple. Verses from the 'Nalayira Divya Prabandham' are recited by a group of temple priests amidst music with ''[[Nagaswaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''[[Tavil]]'' (percussion instrument). The processional idols of Oppiliappan and Bhumidevi are brought to the temple car early in the morning amidst Vedic chantings. Subsequently, the festive idols are taken to the '[[Temple car|ther]] thatti mandapam' (chariot launching hall). The 'ratharohanam', the rituals associated with taking the idols to the temple car is performed in an auspicious time before starting the procession. The temple celebrates six other festivals:
Vasanta Utsavam (spring festival) for 6 days in the temple garden during ''Vaikasi'' (May–June), Pavitrotsavam (purifying festival) for 5 days during ''Avani'' (Aug – Sep), Brahmotsavam for nine days of ''Purattasi'' (Sept – Oct), Kalyana Utsavam (holy marriage of god and goddess) for 12 days commencing from Sravanam during ''Aippasi'' (Oct–Nov), Adhyayana Utsavam (ten-day-and-ten-night festival) during ''Margazhi'' (Dec–Jan) and float festival for 5 days during Thai(Jan – Feb).<ref name="festival">{{cite web|title=Temple festivals|url=http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.org/e%20utchavam.htm|publisher=Oppiliappan Temple administration|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> [[Ramanavami]], the festival associated with [[Rama]], an [[avatar]] of Vishnu. The event is celebrated for ten days with music and dance performance and on the concluding day, ''kanakabhishekam'' (ablution with gold for the festival image) and Rama Pattabhishekam.<ref name="hindu"/><ref name="Ram">{{cite web|title=Sri Ramanavami|url=http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.org/ramanavami.htm|publisher=Oppiliappan Temple administration|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> Sravan Deepam is a festival celebrated every month in the temple on the day of Tamil star of ''Thiruvonam'' and devotees observe fast called Sravana Vratham that day by consuming only unsalted food.<ref name="Sravan">{{cite web|title=Sravana Deepam|url=http://www.oppiliappanswamytemple.org/sraravana%20deepam.htm|publisher=Oppiliappan Temple administration|access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> Tonsure ceremony for getting children shaved for the first time to promote proper growth and ear piercing is a very common practise followed in the temple.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ramanujan: Essays and Surveys|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TT1T8A94xNcC&pg=PA31|page=31|last1=Berndt|first1=Bruce C.|last2=Rankin|first2=Robert Alexander|publisher=American Mathematical Soc.|year=2001|isbn=9780821826249}}</ref> It is believed that the place is as sacred as [[Vaikunta]] and as in Vaikunta, the river Vraja there flows as river Nattaru and hence considered sacred.<ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|ref=R.|pages=553–4}}</ref> The temple is counted as one of the temples built on the banks of [[River Kaveri]].<ref name=Ka>{{cite book|title=River cauvery the most battl(r)ed|last=Ka. Vi.|first=Kannan|page=34|publisher=Notion Press|year=2019|isbn=9781684666041|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4CGFDwAAQBAJ&q=thiruvavaduthurai}}</ref>

==Literary mention==
Oppiliappan is considered the elder brother of the presiding deity of [[Tirupathi Venkateshwara Temple]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Illustrated Weekly of India|volume=97|series=4|page=39|publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited|year=1997}}</ref> The temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by [[Periazhwar]], [[Thirumangai Alvar|Thirumangai Azhwar]] and [[Nammazhwar]]. The temple is classified as a ''[[divyadesam]]'', the 108 Vishnu temples that are revered in the Vaishnava canon. The temple is counted as the 14th in the list of ''divyadesams'' in [[Chola Nadu]] and 83rd in the overall list. The [[Azhwars]] address the presiding deity by various names like Oppiliappan, Vinnagarappan and Venkatachalapathy and his consort Bhumidevi as Bhoomidevi Nachiar and Dharanadevi.<ref>[[#Society|The Society]] 1994, p. 25</ref> Periazhwar refers to Oppiliappan as Thiruvinnagar Mevvane in his verses in ''Periathirumozhi'' while Namaazhwar called him "Thannoppaarillappan", that is he who has no comparison, meaning there is neither an equivalent nor superior to Vishnu. He mentions "the Lord who by his powers affords solace for pining hearts and renders them fit for service".<ref>[[#Society|The Society]] 1994, p. 28</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Hindu Pilgrimage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lzPCOVQGP3wC&q=thiruvinnagar&pg=PT158|page=158|last=Bansal|first=Sunita Kumar|publisher=Pustak Mahal|year=2008|isbn=9788122309973}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The divine wisdom of the Dravida saints|url=https://archive.org/details/divinewisdomdra00govigoog|page=[https://archive.org/details/divinewisdomdra00govigoog/page/n242 196]|last=Govindāchārya|first=Aḷkoṇḍavilli |publisher=C.N. Press|year=1902}}</ref> The temple is one of the most visited in the district.<ref name="TN">{{cite web|title=What to see — Thanjavur district attractions|url=http://www.thanjavur.tn.nic.in/whattoseetou.html|publisher=Thanjavur District Administration|access-date=7 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518021412/http://www.thanjavur.tn.nic.in/whattoseetou.html|archive-date=18 May 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist
| colwidth = 20em
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==References==
{{refbegin|2}}
*{{Cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |title=South Indian shrines: illustrated |year=1991 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-0151-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&pg=PA344|ref=Ayyar}}
*{{cite journal|title=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society (Bangalore, India)|volume=85|journal=The Society|publisher=Mythic Society|location=Bangalore, India |ref=Society}}
* {{cite book|title=Oppliappan Thirukoyil Thalavaralaru|publisher=Venkatachalapathy Thirukoyil, Oppilliappan Koyil|last=Swamigal|first=V.N. Ramadesikacharya|year=2003|ref=official}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.oppiliappan.org Official website of ThiruvinNagara (Oppiliappan Sannidhi)]
{{Hindu Temples of Kumbakonam|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oppiliappan Temple}}
[[Category:Hindu temples in Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:Divya Desams]]

Oppiliappan temple - Revision history

73.106.253.181 at 20:19, 21 March 2022