Srirangam Sorgavasal: At Srirangam Ranganatha Temple, known as Bhuloka Vaikundam, the Vaikunda Ekadasi festival was celebrated last Dec. Started on 22nd. Yesterday morning (Dec 1), the concluding day of Pakalpatu Utsavam, Namperumal presented a spectacle in Mohini decoration.
On this occasion, every day Namperumal blesses the devotees in special decorations. The main event of the festival, the opening of the Paradise Gate, was held today (Dec. 2) at 4.45 am. Also, due to the Corona lockdown, the devotees were not allowed to attend the opening ceremony of the gate of Heaven as Darshan was not allowed for the last two years.
Day ten is the last day of the festival
Thus lakhs of devotees from not only Tamil Nadu but also from all over the country came to visit Namperumal at the opening ceremony of the gate of heaven held today. And the main event of the festival was yesterday (Dec 1) at 6 am on the last day of Pagalpatu festival where Namperumal served the devotees in Mohini decoration (Nachiyar Thirukolam).
On this occasion, Namperumal departed from Moolasthan at Nachiyar Kolam at 6 am and appeared at Archuna Mandapam at 7 am. After the public service was over, he left at 5 pm and reached Ariyapattal gate at 5.30 pm. At 7 pm he crawled through Tirukkottara prakaram and joined Garuda Mandapam. At 8.30 pm he departed from Garuda Mandapam and reached Moolasthan at 9 pm. A large number of devotees had darshan of this Mohini decoration.
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The opening of the gates of heaven
Following this, the main event of the Vaikunda Ekadasi festival was the opening of the gate of heaven at 4.45 am today. For this, Utsavar Namperumal dressed in various special thiruvaparanas including jeweled robe, pandian kondai, klimal and came out from Moolasthanam on Simmakathi today at 3.30 am.
Then Namperumal came to the third prakaram through Nazhiketan gate and came to the paramapadavasal area through Duraipradaksanam. Earlier in the Virajanadi Mandapam, he asked for a Vedic prayer. After that, at 4.45 in the morning, the gate of heaven was opened.
At that time, Namperumal devotees crossed the Pudaichula Paramapadavasal and reached Thirukkottai opposite Airangal Mandapam at 5 in the morning through Sandalveli, Patipandal and Dautaravasal. Then devotees performed Daranasam for Namperumal for about 1 hour. After that at 7 in the morning, Satara will be honored and wake up at 8 in the morning at Thirumamani Mandapam in Ayrangal Mandapam. Public Janaseva will be held from 9 am to 5.30 pm and from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm with Ariyar Seva and Public Janaseva. Namperumal will depart from Thirumamani Mandapam around 12 midnight and reach Moolasthanam at 1.15 am the next day (Dec. 3).
Also today is a local holiday for Trichy district on the occasion of Vaikunda Ekadasi festival. Especially since lakhs of devotees are coming, traffic has also been changed. More than 3000 policemen were engaged in security on the occasion of Vaikunda Ekadasi festival. On the occasion of the festival, Srirangam and its surrounding areas are filled with festivities. It is also worth mentioning that Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious Welfare Minister Shekhar Babu and government department officials participated in this program.
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