Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple, also known as Thirupper Nagar, is a Hindu temple in Koviladi, a village 16 kilometres south of Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 Vishnu temples adored in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints or Alvars. This temple is one of five Pancharanga Kshetrams on the Cauvery River’s banks.

The temple is thought to be quite old, with contributions from the Mediaeval Cholas at various times. The temple is situated on an elevated structure and is reached via a flight of 21 steps. The main entrance, the rajagopuram, is three stories high, and the temple is surrounded by a precinct.

Story/Legend of the Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple

According to Hindu tradition, monarch Ubhamanyu incurred the anger of sage Durvasar and lost all physical strength. To break the curse, he was required to feed one lakh people every day. One day, the Hindu god Vishnu disguised himself as an old man and approached the monarch, asking for a meal. The monarch continued to donate, and the old man ate all of the food prepared for the people. The king was taken aback and perplexed by this unexpected gesture.

The old guy requested a kudam (pot) of Neyyaappam (a sweet meal), claiming that only it could satisfy his hunger. The monarch granted the wish and afterwards learnt that the old guy was actually Vishnu. The blessings of Vishnu delivered the monarch from the sage’s curse. Vishnu is known as “Appakkudathaan” in the temple because of the legend. This temple is considered one of the 108 Divya Desams.

What is Divya Desams– A Divya Desam or Vaishnava Divya Desam is one of the 108 Vishnu and Lakshmi temples recorded by the Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava faith. 105 of the 108 temples are in India, one is in Nepal, and the final two are thought to be in space, in Tirupparkatal and Vaikuntham. They are distributed over the Indian states of Tamil Nadu (84), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (2), Gujarat (1), Uttar Pradesh (4), and Uttarakhand (3). Muktinath, Saligramam is Nepal’s sole Divya Desam. The 12 Alvars respect the Divya Desams in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4,000 Tamil hymns.

History of Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple

It is said that this temple is where sage Markandeya was liberated from Yama’s (god of death) curse, which doomed Markandeya to die at the age of 16. Ranganatha, the presiding deity, is said to have destroyed Indira’s (a celestial deity) pride. The location is known as “Koviladi” because it lies downstream of the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, which is known as a kovil in Vaishnava tradition.

The Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple is known as “Tiruppernagar” since the surrounding area was known as “Per Nagar” during Chola times. The Alvars mention to the location as “Tiruppernagar” in the Sri Vaishnava canon, Nalayira Divya Prabandam.

Inscriptions from the 18th year of Aditya Chola’s reign can be seen in the temple. The inscriptions found in this temple in 1901 are numbered 283, 300, 301, and 303. According to Nammalvar, the temple housed the Vedic academics of the time. The inscriptions in the temple represent donations made towards the construction of the main hall. During the Anglo-French war, Koviladi was one of the focal locations of combat in the regions surrounding Tiruchirapalli; there are no records of the contributions or damages caused by this war.

Architecture of Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple

The Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple features a three-tiered rajagopuram facing west and an elevated structure accessible by 21 stairs. The temple’s Moolavar (presiding deity), “Appala Rangan,” is depicted in Bhujangasayanm (a reclining posture) facing west, surrounded by Bhooma Devi and Kamalavalli Thayar. The central deity is shown in a reclining pose known as pujanga sayanam, holding the sacred pot in his right hand.

The Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple also houses Upayamanyu and Dhurvarsa’s images. Appala Ranganathar is the major god, and he is located in Srirangam, apart from the Ranganathar.

The Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple is surrounded by a prakaram (precinct). According to historian K.V. Soundararajan, the Rangantha temples in South India built during the 9th and 10th centuries have a systematic arrangement of subsidiary deities, as seen in this temple, the Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple at Thirukoshtiyur, the Veeraraghava Perumal temple at Thiruvallur, the Rajagopalaswamy temple at Mannargudi, and the Rangantha temple at Srirangapatna.

Facts about Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple

• Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple is the sixth Divyadesam, the sacred abode of Lord Vishnu that is sung about by the Azhwar saints
• This temple is located in Koviladi, a village about 16 kilometres from Trichy City, in Tamil Nadu state.
• The Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple is classified as a Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples mentioned in the book.
• Ranganatha is believed to have appeared for king Upmananya and sage Parasara.
• The Pancharanga Kshetrams (also known as Pancharangams, which means “five Rangams or Ranganathas”) is a series of five Hindu temples dedicated to Ranganatha, a manifestation of Vishnu, on the banks of the Kaveri River.
• 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.
• Srirangaraja Sarithapanam, a Sanskrit text, also mentions the temple. The temple is also known as the Mukti Stalam, which is where saint Periyalvar is said to have obtained Vishnu’s feet.
• Some scriptures quote that this temple is more ancient than the Srirangam temple.

Famous Festivals In Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple

• The chariot festival is the most prominent festival of the temple and the surrounding villages. It is celebrated during the Tamil month of Panguni (April–May); devotees pull the temple chariot housing the festival deity, around the streets of Koviladi.
• Panguni Brahmotsavam – A 13-day festival which is celebrated in the month of Phalgun.
• Kaisika Dwadasi in Karthigai (November – December)
• Teertha Vari at the River Cauvery on the day of Maasi Magam (February – March)
• Nammalvar Moksham during Era Pathu in Margali (December – February).
• Diwali – Diwali is one of the most admired and auspicious festivals in the town.
• Chitra Poornima is also a significant occasion for celebration in the temple.
• Vaikuntha Ekadashi – Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrated during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January) is the major festival celebrated in the temple.

How To reach Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple

Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple is located in Koviladi, a village about 16 kilometres from Trichy City, in Tamil Nadu state.

By Air: Trichy International Airport is just about 40 kilometres from the temple. A lot of local transport is available from the airport to the temple.

By Railway: The town of Koviladi has its railway station, which is near the temple premises. The nearby Trichy City is also well connected with various parts of Tamil Nadu and other states.

By Roadways: The temple is well-connected by road, and there is also a bus stop nearby. In addition to buses, people can use private cabs and autos to get to the temple from places like Trichy.

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