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 A celestial city on earth - Thiru-viN-nagaram - is one of the names by which Uppiliappan Koil is known. Situated within 2
km. from Tirunageswaram Railway Station and around 4 Kms from Kumbakonam, this is one of the most important shrines for Vaishnavites and is a celebrated temple of the 108 abodes of Vishnu. The Lord is known as Uppili-appan (one who avoids salt) or Oppili-appan (one who is unparalleled), Srinivasan, Venkatachalapathy, Thiru-viN-nagara-appan, etc.
The Lord is seen in the standing posture,
Nindraan, of the four postures in which He is installed. It is in Thiru-viN-nagaram that He married Bhoo Devi and She is seen sitting, facing north, while the Lord faces the east. The temple has the unique distinction of being sung by more than one Vaishnavite savant, Alwar. Poigai Alwar, Pey Alwar, Tirumangai Alwar and Nammalwar have sung the praise of Uppiliappan. Nammalwar envisioned the Lord in five different forms and called him by five different names, Ponnappan, Maniappan, Muthappan, Ennappan and Thiru-viN-nagara-appan.
‘Relish without salt’
Tulasi Devi was born out of the waves of the nectar obtained by churning the Milky Ocean and Vishnu married Her. She desired that She be placed on his chest, on par with Mahalakshmi, who is privileged to have Her abode there. Vishnu pacified Her by saying that Lakshmi had performed severe penance to have His heart as Her abode and that She should also perform a similar penance to attain what She wanted. ‘Lakshmi would soon be born as Bhoo Devi and would be brought up by Markandeya. You take the form of the Tulasi plant and be the ‘vana’ or the garden where Mahalakshmi would be born. I will come there and stay after taking Her hand in marriage.’
Meanwhile, Markandeya, son of Mrikandu, who attained immortality, was on a pilgrimage and he reached this place where Tulasi abounded in the form of the plant. He was so charmed by the beauty of the place that he decided to stay there and it was then that he desired to have Bhoo Devi as his daughter and the Lord as his son-in-law.
 It was there that he found Mahalakshmi as a child, under a Tulasi plant and adopted Her as his own daughter. She grew up to be a lovely maiden and the Lord assumed the form of an old man on an Ekadasi day of Palguni under the star Thiruvonam, and came to the house of Markandeya. Markandeya was very pleased to have this visitor, who was old and apparently a devotee of the Lord.
The old man expressed the desire to get married since He had nobody to take care of him and he proposed for the hand of Markandeya’s daughter. Markandeya was taken aback at the desire of the old man, who was so withered and worn out and advised him strongly against it. But the old man was in no mood to listen. ‘My daughter is too young,’ said Markandeya. ‘She doesn’t even know how to cook properly. She would miss out to season the food with salt and it would so happen that you would get annoyed with her. Please therefore leave her alone,’ he said. But the old man persisted and even went to the extent of threatening that he would give his life up, if Markandeya did not yield.
Markandeya closed his eyes in worshipful prayer to his Lord, and sought His divine intervention to save him and his daughter out of this precarious situation. Lord Vishnu appeared in his inner eye and when he opened his eyes, Markandeya saw the old man in the same youthful form that he envisioned of the Lord in his heart. He was so happy that the Lord proposed the hand of his daughter and he gave Her in marriage to Him in the month of Aippasi, on a day ruled by the star
Thiruvonam.
The Lord granted Markandeya three boons. The first was a promise to stay in the place - Uppiliappan Koil - forever. The second one is that the place would be known after Markandeya, as Markandeya kshetra and the third one is that He would delightfully accept preparations without salt and that all His devotees would do as well.
The temple
 The temple
Vimana is known as Sudhananda Vimana. Krishna’s image with His right hand holding his right foot up in His hand is installed. He is sleeping, held by the thousand-hooded serpent, Adi Sesha.
The temple tank is known as Ahoratra Pushkarani (meaning, a tank where one can have a dip, either in the day or in the night).
A nine-day festival is celebrated in the month of Puratasi - a month before the occasion of the wedding of the Lord. Brahmotsavam is also celebrated in the month of Panguni. Vasantotsavam is celebrated during Vaikasi and Thiru-kalyana-utsavam in
Aippasi.
Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Thiruvona star days are special days of worship.
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