Oppiliappan Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the nearest commercial airport, 91 km from Kumbakonam.

• By train

  Kumbakonam railway station has direct trains to Mysuru and Bengaluru, including the Mysore to Mayiladuthurai Express.

• By road

  National Highway 36 passes through Kumbakonam. The temple is in a village on the outskirts of the town.

Rules to know

• Food offered to the deity is still prepared without salt, as the legend says.

Why devotees come here

Oppiliappan Temple is a Vishnu temple in a village on the outskirts of Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. Vishnu is worshipped here as Oppiliappan, and the temple is counted among the 108 Divya Desams.

Vaishnavites count Oppiliappan Temple among the 108 Divya Desams, the shrines of Vishnu they honour. The temple is also called Booloka Vaikuntam. Legend says Lakshmi appeared as a baby under a tulasi plant, and the sage Markandeya recognised her and raised her.

The temple is believed to have been initiated by the Medieval Cholas in the late 8th century. Later, Govinda Dikshitar, a minister to the Nayak rulers Achuthappa Nayak and Raghunatha Nayak, made many additions. The temple is enclosed by a granite wall, and its gateway tower, the rajagopuram, has five tiers.

The main shrine houses Oppiliappan in a standing posture, with images of Bhoomidevi and sage Markandeya. The vimana is called Suddhananda, meaning pure happiness. The temple is considered the southern counterpart of Tirupati, and devotees perform their marriages and vows here as they do there.

Festivals

• Panguni, March to AprilPanguni chariot festival

  Nine days of celebration, the most prominent festival of the temple.

• Vaikasi, May to JuneVasanta Utsavam

  A six-day spring festival held in the temple garden.

• Every yearKalyana Utsavam

  Held in the hall, with music and dance programmes.

• Rama NavamiSri Rama Navami

  A 10-day festival with kanakabhishekam, a rite performed for Rama.

Tips for your visit

• For the nine-day chariot festival, plan a visit in Panguni (March to April).
• For music and dance, the annual Kalyana Utsavam is held in the hall.

Questions people ask