- Uppiliappan Temple
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Uppiliappan Temple 
Uppiliappan TempleLocation in Tamil NaduCoordinates: 10°57′41.63″N 79°25′53.73″E / 10.9615639°N 79.4315917°ECoordinates: 10°57′41.63″N 79°25′53.73″E / 10.9615639°N 79.4315917°E Name Other names: Thiruvinnagar, Oppliyappan Temple, Oppiliappan Kovil and
Oppiliappan SannidhiProper name: Uppiliappan temple Location Country: India State: Tamil Nadu District: Thanjavur Locale: Thirunageswaram Temple Details Primary Deity: Uppiliappan Perumal Consort: Bhumi Devi Appeared For: Markandeya Important festivals: Rama Navami History Website: oppiliappan.org The Uppiliappan Temple, also known as Thiruvinnagar, Oppliyappan Temple, Oppiliappan Kovil and Oppiliappan Sannidhi is a Vishnu temple located near the village of Thirunageswaram in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity in this temple is Lord Uppiliappan Perumal with his consort Bhumi Devi and her father sage Markandeya. The temple is regarded as one of the 108 Divya Desams.
The Temple is located about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from Kumbakonam and is reachable by the State highway SH-147. It one of the main pilgrimage centres of South India and is also known as "South Tirupathi".
Contents
Legend
The Temple Entrance
The Thalapuraanam of this temple is discussed in the Brahmanda Purana, one of the eighteen Mahapuranas.
The legend associated with the temple is as follows; Once Tulasi did penance and asked of the Lord Vishnu, "You are bearing Lakshmi alone in your chest; I request such special blessing and attention for me also" to which the Lord replied "Lakshmi occupied my chest after severe penance and now she is about to incarnate on the banks of River Kaveri in bhoologam (Earth) with the name of Bhumi Devi. You may appear there prior to her as a tulasi plant and she will incarnate in your lap (i.e. under your shadow). "I will accept Lakshmi some days later" and since you were the support or "aathaaram" for her incarnation you will be rewarded as being very special to me in this temple; more than Lakshmi. One can attain the blessings of Lakshmi only after severe penance, but one who worships me with your ithaz (leaves), will get the effect of doing Ashvamedha yagam and those who dwell in your vanam as their place of living will surely attain moksham. You will always be the garland that is presented to me. I will accept the thulasi maalai first and will marry Lakshmi only after that".
On hearing this Tulasi appeared in Thiruvinnagaram. This is confirmed by the 53rd paasuram of Sri Nammazhwaar in Thiruviruththam.
Later, Mrikandu Maharishi's son, Markandeya worshipped the Lord Vishnu and desired for the boon that Lakshmi should appear as his daughter and the Lord himself should become his son-in-law. One day, when Markandeya was doing Theerththaadanam and Shethra yaaththirai, after reaching Thiruvinnagaram, he felt that this was the right place for getting his desire fulfilled. Markandeya then started a severe penance for 1000 years seeking Lakshmi's blessings.
After thousand years of severe penance, Lakshmi appeared as a baby under the already incarnated tulasi plant (tulasi chedi). Markandeya felt the presence of Lakshmi as the incarnation in the form of the baby and realised that a part of his desire had been fulfilled. He took possession of the baby and raised her.
When this young girl reached adolescent age or paruvam, one day on the panguni month of Sravana Nakshathram, the Lord appeared as an old man and asked for the hand of Markandeya's daughter in marriage. Markandeya replied that, "You are very ripe and old, my daughter is too young and she does not even know how to cook with proper salt (lavanam) contents. You may get angry and curse her if she does not cook properly. This is not fair. You are bodily old but mentally very aware. You must forgive me and bless me but this will not work out." 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." Without knowing what to do, Markandeya sought the help of the ever protecting Lord Vishnu. It was then that he realised using his thapobalam, that the old man was none other than Lord Vishnu himself. When he opened his eyes the Lord appeared in front of him with conch and chakram as in Sri Vaikundam. Markandeya asked for forgiveness and offered his daughter's hand in marriage and performed the kannikaathaanam of his daughter (Lakshmi) to the Lord.
Since the Lord had said "I will accept the food that is not salted as my best and most desired food", this temple Neyvethiyam is always done without salt in any food. No one should ever take anything that contains salt into this temple and the puraanaas indicate that such persons who knowingly do so are believed to suffer in hell.
The name Oppiliappan is as result of this legend. However, Nammaazhwaar called him "Thannoppaarillappan", that is he who has no comparison (i.e. there is neither an equivalent nor superior to the Lord - mikaiyum oppum illaathavan).
There is also a story behind the tank in this temple. Once a King had consummated (punarchchi) 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 and the branch of the tree the bird was sleeping on broke and fell into the water of this tank. The bird which got dipped by this accident in the tank 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. In general "theerthAdanam " in the night is not recommended by our scriptures. Since this tank has such a healing power in the day as well as night, it is called "ahoraathra pushkarani".
Observances and festivals
All offerings to Visnu in this temple are prepared without salt. Salt food is not allowed to be brought inside the temple. The God always appears with the Goddess Padmavathi at his side.
The temple hosts a number of festivals throughout the year. The main Brahmotsavam (festival) is held in the month of Panguni (March - April), culminating on Sravana, the day on which the Lord appeared before the sage; a second Brahmotsavam concluding on Purattasi Sravana (September - October); and a grand Kalyana festival for 12 days in the month of Aippasi Sravana (October - November), during which artists render music and other performances.
A monthly Sravana Deepams (festival of light) is performed. The Sri Ramanavami Festival is celebrated for 10 days in April.
Composers
Thirumangai Alvar, Peyalvar, Nammalvar have composed beautiful pasurams dedicated to Lord Uppiliappan and his consort Bhumi Devi. It is one of the compositions in Naalayira Divya Prabandha.
References
External links
Hindu temples in Thanjavur district Location 
Kumbakonam block Adi Kumbeswarar Temple · Nageswaran Temple · Someswarar Temple · Sarangapani Temple · Ramaswamy temple · Chakrapani Temple · Kasi Viswanathar TempleThiruvaiyaru block Swamimalai Murugan Temple · Innambur · Tirupurambiyam · Vijayamangai · Tiruvaikavur Temple · Thiru Aadanoor Temple · Thirupullabhoothangudi Temple · Kabisthalam · ThirukoodalurThiruvidaimarudur block Rahu Stalam · Uppiliappan Temple · Thiruneelakudy · Kalaynallur · Thirunallam · Sivayoginathar Temple,Thiruvisanallur · Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur · Kampaheswarar Temple, Thirubuvanam · Tirukodikka · Ten Kurangaaduturai Temple · Thirumangalakkudi · Palaiyur · Kalaynallur · Sivagurunathaswamy Temple, Sivapuram · Marudanallur · Azhagaputhur · Penu Perundurai · Nachiyar Koil · Tirucherai Saranathan Temple · Narayur Chitteswaram · Nalur MayanamPapanasam block Orathanadu block Pazhayarai · Patteswaram · Thirusakthimutram · Aavoor Pasupatheeswaram · Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur · Thirunandipura Vinnagaram · Garbharakshambigai templeDivya Desams · Padal Petra StalamCategories:- Hindu temples in Thanjavur district
- 108 holy temples of Vishnu
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