Arulmigu Sri Oppiliappan Temple — Attraction in Tamil Nadu

Thiruvinnagar Divyadesam - Sree Oppiliappan Temple - The Only Divyadesam Where the Naivedhyams are Offerred Without Salt - Thiruvaiinagar Oppiliappan Temple also being worshipped as Tulasi Vanam and Margandeya Kshetram. It is located 7 KM south of Kumbakonam, the City of Temples. Moolavar is Sree Oppiliappan with Consort Bhoomidevi Nachiyar. This is the One and Only Divyadesam where the Lord is being worshipped in HIS Five Forms as Ponnappan, Maniappan, Mutthappan, Vinnagarappan and Ennappan. The Legend of the Kshetram Thulasi Vanam - Once Tulsi did a penance here and asked the ALMIGHTY that as he was bearing Goddess Lakshmi Devi in HIS chest, she also wanted the blessing like that. Lord was pleased and told that Goddess occupied the lord's chest only after the deep penance and also added that very soon Goddess Lakshmi would be going to born as a child in Bhoologam. and asked Tulsi also to go prior to Goddess and do penance in Thiruvinnagar Divyadesam - Oppiliappan Koil.

During that time Sage Margandeyar - Son of Mirugandu Mahirishi worshipped the ALMIGHTY and desired for the Boon that Goddess Lakshmi should born as his Daughter and HE should become his Son-in-Law. Pleased Paranthaman offered him the boon what he desired. Margandeyar reached this temple and underwent a deep penance for 1000s of years. One fine day he found a female child in Thulasi Vanam ( Garden with full of Tulsi ). He possessed the child and took care of her. The young girl reached the adolescent age. One day an Old Man approached the sage and said that he wanted to marry his daughter. Margandeyar replied that she is too young and she was not even comfortable to prepare the food with adeqaute salt. But the old man responded that even if his daughter makes food without salt he will accept. Without knowing what to do, Sage sought the help of the God. He then realized because of his Thabobhalam - Gnana Drushti that the Old Man was none other than the Lord Maha Vishnu and his Daughter is Goddess Lakshmi Devi. When he opened his eyes Lord gave him HIS Darshan with his Conch and Discus, ie Sangu and Chakra as HE Blesses in Vaikundham. Sage regretted and immediately performed the Kannigadhaanam of her daughter to the ALMIGHTY. Since HE married a young child who was not even know how to prepare the food with adequate salt, ALMIGHTY said that here in Oppiliyappankoil accepts Naivedhyam Only without salt. No one should never ever take eatables as Naivedhyam for any reasons containing salt inside Oppiliappan Koil if any one does by knowingly he will suffer in the Hell.

Since Tulsi underwent penance here this place is also known as Thulasi Vanam. Pleased by the penance of Tulsi, the Lord offered her the boon that Tulsi is much more percious to HIM in this Kshetram. Worshipping Him with even with a leaf of Tulsi would be considered equivalent to Aswamedha Yaagam. He would wear only Tulsi first and then only marry Goddess Lakshmi Devi in HIS marriage. Tulsi Garland is the the one HE will accept here in Thiruvinnagaram Divyadesam. As HE married daughter of Margandeya here this Divyadesam is also called as Margandeya Kshetram. Nammazhwar praised HIM as Thannoppaarillaappan . Those who are not able to go to Tirupathi can worship Sree Oppiliappan in Thiru Vinnagaram, as a worship here is considered equivalent to worshipping Tirumala Tirupathi. Lord Oppiliappan is being worshipped the Elder Brother of Tirupathi Srinivasan. Every month, Shravanam Day is being celebrated in a grand manner here, which is held at around 11 A.M. grand manner. Theertham is Ahorathra Pushkarini Ahorastra Pushkarini – The One and Only Pushkarini Where Pilgrims can take their divine bath even after the sunset and in the night time. Oppiliappankoil Vimanam is being worshipped as "Sudhanandha Vimanam", means The Complete Happiness, where as Thirumala Tirupati Temple Vimanam is being worshipped as "Anandha Vimanam".Swami Desikan Sannidhi is located on the left side of the prakaram and Siriya Thiruvadi Hanuman is blessing on the Right Side. Sree Rama in also blessing next...

The Oppiliappan Temple, also known as Thiruvinnagar or Uppliyappan Temple is a Sri Narayanan temple located near the village of Thirunageswaram in Kumbakonam 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 one of the 108 Divya Desams.

The legend associated with the temple goes like thus- Once Tulasi did penance and asked to be given special place in Lord Narayana's chest like Goddess Lakshmi. Lord Narayana said that Lakshmi occupied that position after severe penance and she was about to incarnate on the banks of river Cauvery in Earth with the name of Bhumi Devi. The Lord asked Tulasi to appear there prior to her as a tulasi plant and Lakshmi will incarnate under Tulasi's shadow. Tulasi obeyed the order and became tulsi bushes on the Cauvery banks. Since Tulasi supported Lakshmi's incarnation, Lord Narayanan rewarded Tulasi as being very special to him in the temple. It is believed that one who worships Narayana with Tulsi leaves will get the effect of doing an Ashvamedha yagam. Meanwhile, Mrikandu Maharishi's son, Markandeya worshipped the Lord Vishnu and desired that Lakshmi should be born as his daughter and the Lord himself should become his son-in-law. One day, when Markandeya reached 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 Tulsi plant . 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 , on a day in 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 her daughter is too young and could not even cook with proper salt in the food,to which the Lord in the guise of the old man replied that he was ready to accept her and her cooking without salt. Markandeya later realised this was none other the Lord narayan himself and offered his daughter's hand in marriage and performed the kannikaathaanam of his daughter (Lakshmi) to the Lord.

Since the Lord had said that He will accept the food that is not salted as His best and most desired food, this temple Neivethiyam is always done without salt in any food. The name Oppiliappan ( uppu illa appan) is as result of this legend.

Inscriptions here date the temple during the period of Rajendra Chola.The temple has a 50 feet high five tiered Raja gopuram facing east and has two prakarams. Stone inscriptions here refer to the temple as Tiruvinnagar - Tirunageswaram and Uyyakkondaar Valanaadu.

This place is also called 'Vaikunta Nagaram', 'Markandeya Kshetram', and as 'Tulasi vanam'

Devastanam's record mentions Oppiliappan as Sri Venkatachalapathy. Oppiliappan is considered to be the elder brother of Sri Venkatachalapathy. If any one is unable to visit Tirumala to offer their offerings, they can visit Oppiliappan and it is considered equivalent of doing that in Tirumala itself. Hence it is also known as 'Thenn Tirupathi'.(Tirupathi of South)

Oppiliappan stands upto 8 feet tall in the centre. Below him Bhoomidevi faces north in a kneeling posture while Makandeya Maharishi who has the boon of retaining his age as 16 forever is the position to the marriage to his daughter.

Left hand of Oppiliappa perumal contains the inscription "Maam Ekam Saranam Vrija" made of diamonds which is a verse form Bhagavatgita instructing the whole mankind to devote their pure souls into his lotus feet to attain Salvation.

The prasadams like tamarind rice, fried snacks are prepared witout salt. If one tastes them inside the temple, they seem to taste normal. If they take them outside and eat them, they can realise that it does not...

This temple is Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is counted as the 60th of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshipped as Oppiliappan and his consort Lakshmi as Bhudevi.

As 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 a 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 doesn't 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 salt.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".This temple is considered the southern counterpart of Thirupathi temple and hence devotees perform their marriages and vows as they do in Tirupathi.

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 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 Alvars' and 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...