Thiruvinnagar

Thiruvinnagar is traditionally enumerated as number 7 among the 108 Divya Desams — the sacred abodes of Sri Maha Vishnu sung by the Alvars.

This divya desam is in Tanjore District in Tamil Nadu. It is about one mile from Thirunageswaram railway station and about four miles from Kumbakonam. The moolavar is known as Oppiliappan, Srinivasan. He is seen in a standing posture facing east. The Goddess is known as Bhoomidevi. She is also known as Bhoodevi, Bhoomi Nachiar, Dharani Devi and Vasundara. She is seen in a “mandi ittu vanangum kolam” posture (semi sitting posture). She is facing north. Opposite Her is the idol of Markandeya rishi who brought her up. He is seen in a sitting posture facing south. His posture is like that of a father who is gifting away his daughter as a bride to the would be sonin-law (kanya dhanam pose). The vimanam is known as Vishnu vimanam as also Sudhananda vimanam. God appeared in this place before Markandeya rishi as also Kaveri Thayar. It is widely believed that the God here is the brother of Lord Venkatachalapathi of Tirupati. Hence the place is known as Then Tirupati (South Tirupati).

This place is known varyingly as Bhooloka Vaikuntam, Thiru Vinnagaram, Vyoma puri, Akasa nagar, Tulasi vanam and as Markandeya kshetram. Perumal has several names. As stated earlier, He is known as Oppiliappan. He is also known as Thiru Vinnagarappan, Srinivasan, Sri Venkatachalapathi, Ponnappan, Maniappan, Muthappan, Ennappan.

The mythological story relating to this place is related in Brahmanda puranam. Brahma is said to have related this story to Narada and other devas. According to Brahmanda purana, sage Markandeya was performing penance in the Tulasi vanam (the site of the present temple). To the south of this area were flowing the three rivers Dakshina Ganga, Dakshina Godaveri and Dakshina Yamuna. One day, the rishi saw a small baby girl under a tulasi plant. The child was very lovely and winsome. The rishi took her home, named her as Bhoomi devi as he found her on the ground underneath a tulasi tree. In course of time, the girl grew up. The rishi was very keen that he should get her married to Lord Narayana himself. One day in the month of Panguni, on Ekadesi day when Tiruvona star was in the

42 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desam - IIT