Sri Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple (Thirupper Nagar)

This temple is situated in Tamil Nadu, three miles away from Tiru Anbil - Kollidam and along the south shore of Kollidam. This sthalam is on the way to Kumbakonam - Tiruvaiyaaru - Tirukkaattup palli and Kallanai. This is one of the 108 Divya Desams

thala Puranam

Once when a King called Ubharisaravasu was in penance on Lord Vishnu in a Purasai Forest, Saint Dhurvaasar came by that side. Since Ubharisaravasu was in penance he had not noticed the coming of Saint. Dhurvaasar got angry and cursed his to loose all his strength and power. Ubharisaravasu immediately came to know about it and begged Dhurvaasar to pardon him. Saint Dhurvaasar asked King Ubharisaravasu to go Palasavana Kshethram near Cauvery River and perform Annadhaanam to 1 Lakh peoples. King immediately left to that place with a battalion of Cook. The population of that place was only few hundreds, so he thought of distributing food to who ever comes to that village. Every Day he was able provide food for people in thousands. The king was also happy. One Day early morning an old man came to king and told him that he is very hungry. The king performed his poojas very fast and served food to the old man. The old man ate the complete food prepared for thousands of people and still felt hungry. The king requested the old man to wait for some time to cook again and asked the old man whether he require any snacks in the mean time. The old man asked king to get him Appam in a pot. The Appam was made very fast and king brought it a pot full and gave it to the old man. While eating the Appam old man became Lord Vishnu and removed the curse of king given by Saint Dhurvaasar and laid down there with the pot full of Appam. So the Lord here was called as "Appakkudathaan".

Praise by Alvars

Since, Lord Emperuman give Appam to ubamanyu, the prasadham here for the lord is Appam and it is fed every night for him.

The activity of Sriman Narayanan, who gave the appam was seen in Gnyna Thirusti of nammalwar who is thirukkurugoor biran Sadagopan has compared Thirumaliruncholai and Thiruppernagar and sung 11 paasuram in Thiruvaaimozhi.

In that paasurams, he is explaining how Vishnu is getting out of Thirumaaliruncholai and how the way he gives seva to all the people in thiruppernagar. He has lot of appams in his stomach and giving to all the persons, who are suffering from hunger. Because of this, he doesn't want to get out of Thiruppernagar and sung as "Aara Vayitrinai Adangap Pidithen".

Also, from this shtalam only, Nammalvar started his way to reach paramapadham.

Trivia

# The Emperuman here in this sthalam says that he will not go out from the hearts of his devotees and as well as from this sthalam. ("Peyarthal means getting out"). So this sthalam is called as "Thirupper Nagar"
# Srirangam is popularly called as "Periya Kovil". To explain the speciality of Srirangam, here Sriman narayanan has given the seva as "Appakkundathan". Since, the Sthalam is situated on cauvery banks and the Lord is in sleeping stage this sthalam is called as "Kovil Adi".
# It is one of the Pancharanga Kshetrams.

References

* [http://www.divyadesamonline.com/hindu/temples/trichy/tirupernagar-temple.asp About the temple]
* [http://www.dinamalar.com/koil/276_appakkudathan_koiladi.ASP About the temple in Tamil]
* [http://www.srivari.com/chozhatirupathigal/thiruppernagar.htm Sthala Puranam]