Uppiliappan Temple History in Tamil | உப்பிலியப்பன் கோவில் வரலாறு

Uppiliappan Temple History in Tamil | உப்பிலியப்பன் கோவில் வரலாறு Oppiliappan Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, located near Thirunageswaram and also known by its old toponym Thiruvinnagar, a village in the outskirts of the Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. 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 worshiped as Oppiliappan and his consort Lakshmi as Bhudevi. The temple is one of the Pancha Kshethram where Maha Lakshmi was born as Bhargavi- the daughter of Maharishi Bhrigu. The other four temples of the Pancha Kshethram are Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam, Sundararaja Perumal Temple, Salem, Nachiyar Koil and Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity and to have been initiated by the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century CE, with later contributions at different times from 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 the Hindu deities Bhudevi, Brahma, and Shiva. The temple observes six daily rituals and three yearly festivals. The chariot festival, celebrated during the 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.