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{{Short description|Perumal temple in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Tirupernagar
| image = Koviladi1.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple, Koviladi, [[Thanjavur district]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10.839431|N|78.889455|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = Appakkudathaan Perumal
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thanjavur district|Thanjavur]]
| locale = Koviladi
| elevation_m =
| deity = {{Plainlist|
* Appakkudathaan Perumal ([[Vishnu]])
* Kamalavalli Thayar ([[Lakshmi]])
}}
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Karikala Chola]], [[Medieval Cholas]]
| website =
}}

{{Vaishnavism}}

'''Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple''' or '''Thirupper Nagar''', is a [[Hindu temple|Perumal temple]] located in [[Koviladi, Thanjavur|Koviladi]], a village {{convert|10|mi|km|}} from [[Tiruchirapalli]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India. It is dedicated to [[Vishnu]] and is one of the ''[[Divya Desams]]''{{mdash}}the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in [[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]] by the 12 poet saints or [[Alwars|Alvars]]. 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 ''[[gopuram|rajagopuram]]'' (the main gateway) has three tiers and the temple has a precinct around the sanctum.<ref name="hindu"/>

[[Ranganatha]] is believed to have appeared for king Upmananya and sage [[Parasara]]. The temple has four daily rituals; the first begins at 8:30 a.m. and the last at 8 p.m. There are four annual festivals on the temple's calendar; its chariot festival celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Panguni'' (March–April) is the most prominent of these.

==Legend and etymology==
[[File:Koviladi4.jpg|250x250px|thumb|left|Image of the first precinct]]
As per Hindu legend, the king Ubhamanyu earned the wrath of sage [[Durvasa]]r and lost all his physical strength. To get rid of the curse, he was asked to feed one [[East Asian numbering system|lakh]] people every day. 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 ''[[appam|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 [[Indra|Indira]]'s (a celestial deity) pride.<ref>{{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=PA533|page=533}}</ref><ref name="temple">{{cite journal|title=Thirupperngar |journal=Thirukoyil |publisher=Hindu Religious And Endowment Board Tamil Nadu |volume=55 |series=04 |date=April 2013 |pages=55–56 |last=S. |first=Venkatraman }}</ref> 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|Alvars]]'' refer the place as "Tiruppernagar" in ''Nalayira Divya Prabandam'', the [[Sri Vaishnavism|Sri Vaishnava]] canon.<ref name="temple"/>

The temple has inscriptions from the 18th year of the reign of [[Aditya I|Aditya Chola]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Pallavas|first=Tony|last=Jouveau-Dubreuil|year=1994|isbn= 81-206-0574-8|publisher=Asian Educational Services|location=New Delhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6o9XCT3XiaMC&pg=PA77|page=77}}</ref> The recorded inscriptions in this temple are numbered 283, 300, 301 and 303 of 1901.<ref>{{cite book|first=G.|last= Jouveau-Dubreuil|title=Pallava Antiquities – 2 Vols.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=itsryymCeLgC&pg=PA13|year=1994|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0571-8|page=13}}</ref> As per [[Nammazhwar|Nammalvar]], the temple was home to the [[Vedas|Vedic]] scholars of the time. The inscriptions in the temple indicate donations given towards the building of the main hall.<ref name="hindu"/> Koviladi was one of the focal points of fighting in the regions surrounding [[Tiruchirapalli]] during the Anglo-French war; there are no records on the contributions or damages caused by this war.

==Architecture==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=right
| total_width = 400
| height1 = 2448 | width1 = 3264
| height2 = 2448 | width2 = 3264
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Koviladi10.jpg
|image2=Koviladi11.jpg
|footer=Shrines of Ranganathar and Thayar
}}

The temple has a three-tiered ''[[gopuram|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 [[Bhūmi|Bhooma Devi]] and Kamalavalli Thayar. 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]].<ref name="temple"/> The temple has a ''[[prakaram]]'' (precinct) around the sanctum. According to historian K.V. Soundararajan, the Rangantha temples in South India built during the 9th and 10th centuries have systematic arrangement of subsidiary deities as seen in this temple along with the [[Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple]] at Thirukoshtiyur, [[Veeraraghava Swami Temple (Thiruevvul)|Veeraraghava Perumal temple]] at [[Thiruvallur]], [[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi|Rajagopalaswamy temple]] at [[Mannargudi]] and [[Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna|Rangantha temple]] at [[Srirangapatna]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Typology of the Anantaśayī Icon|page=80|jstor=3250291|last=K. V. |first=Soundara Rajan|journal=Artibus Asiae|volume=29|issue=1|year=1967|doi=10.2307/3250291 }}</ref>

==Festivals and religious practises==
[[File:Koviladi9.jpg|200x200px|thumb|Image of the temple car used during procession|left]]
The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) every day, including festivals. Like other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavaite]] community, from the [[Brahmin]] [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:30 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises three steps; ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''neivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for the presiding deity. The worship involves religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals.

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 Nammalvar Moksham during Era Pathu in Margali (December - February).<ref name="hindu"/> The chariot festival is the most prominent festival of the temple and the surrounding villages. It is celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of Panguni (April–May); devotees pull the temple chariot housing the festival deity, round the streets of Koviladi. Verses from the ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'' are recited by a group of temple priests and music made with the ''[[nagaswaram|nadasvaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''tavil'' (percussion instrument) is played. [[Vaikunta Ekadashi|Vaikuntha Ekadashi]] during December–January, [[Navarathri]] during September–October and butter pot breaking ceremony (locally called ''uri adi'') are the other festivals celebrated in the temple.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Appakudathan Temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=349|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=2013-05-04}}</ref>

==Religious significance==
[[File:Koviladi13.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Plaque of Ranganatha in the flag post|alt=image of a deity in reclining posture]]
The [[Pancharanga Kshetrams]] (also called ''Pancharangams'', meaning the "five Rangams or Ranganathas") is a group of five Hindu temples on the banks of the [[Kaveri|Kaveri River]] dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu. The five Pancharanga Kshetrams are: The [[Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangapatna)|Srirangapatnam]] called the Adi Ranga, the first temple on the banks of the Kaveri River from the upstream side; the [[Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam)|Srirangam]] (island in [[Tiruchirappalli]]) in [[Tamil Nadu]] known as Adya Ranga (the last temple), Appalarangam or [[Koviladi]] at Tiurppernagar in Tamil Nadu, [[Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple]] or Mayuram at Indalur, [[Mayiladuthurai]] and [[Kazheesirama Vinnagaram|Vatarangam]] at [[Sirkazhi]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qNhiCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA210|publisher=MAYUR University|isbn=9780953567973|page=210|last=Warrier|first=Shrikala |year=2014}}</ref> The [[Sarangapani temple]] at [[Kumbakonam]] is mentioned in place of Vatarangam in some references.<ref name="Kapoor2002">{{cite book|author=Subodh Kapoor|title=The Indian Encyclopaedia: Timi-Vedic Age|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hVQUAQAAIAAJ|year=2002|publisher=Cosmo Publications|isbn=978-81-7755-280-5}}</ref><ref name="Pancharanga Kshetrams">{{cite news |
title=''Pancharanga Kshetrams''|
work=indiantemples.com |
url=http://www.indiantemples.com/Tamilnadu/df012.html |
access-date= 2007-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Dalal |first=Roshen |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA339 |year=2011 |publisher=Penguin Books India |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6 |page=339}}</ref> This is the only Divya Desam where [[neyyappam]] is offered to the deity 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.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

The Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple is revered in the ''Nalayira Divya Prabandham'', a 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon of 33 verses by [[Periyalvar]], [[Tirumangai Alvar|Thirumangai Alvar]], [[Thirumalisai Alvar]] and [[Nammazhwar|Nammalvar]].<ref name="hindu">{{cite news|title=Restoring the glory of a temple|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/restoring-the-glory-of-a-temple/article672107.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|last=S.|first=Prabhu|date=16 September 2010|access-date=2013-09-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Soundara Rajan |first=Kodayanallur Vanamamalai |title=Concise classified dictionary of Hinduism|year=2001|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|location=New Delhi |isbn=81-7022-857-3|page=65|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lAWS49f8HKoC&pg=PA65}}</ref> The temple is classified as a ''[[divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'',<ref>{{cite news|title=An NGO does its bit for god - and humanity|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1262149051.html|via=[[HighBeam Research]]|work=Hindustan Times|location=New Delhi, India|date=29 April 2007|access-date=13 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414091637/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1262149051.html|archive-date=14 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> the 108 Vishnu temples that are revered in the Vaishnava canon. The temple is counted as the sixth in line of ''Divya Desams'' located in [[Chola Nadu]]. The temple is also mentioned in the [[Sanskrit]] work ''Srirangaraja Sarithapanam''. The temple is also the ''mukti stalam''; the place where saint [[Periyalvar]] is believed to have attained the feet of Vishnu.<ref name="temple"/> [[Nammalvar]] is believed to have recited his last song in the Divya Prabandam from this temple. Some scriptures quote that this temple is more ancient than the Srirangam temple.<ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|ref=R.|pages=532–3}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple}}
{{Famous Vishnu temples|state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Divya Desams]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Thanjavur district]]

Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple - Revision history

Victorxsi at 01:51, 14 January 2025