Elaborate arrangements have been made for the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival that falls on December 29 at the Sri Parthasarathy Swami Temple in Triplicane.
The festivities related to the occasion began on Tuesday.
Swarga Vaasal would be opened at 4.30 a.m. on December 29 and darshan will be allowed from 2 a.m., said sources in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
Tickets priced at ₹300 will be made available at the temple from 11 a.m. on December 27 and sold on a first-come-first-served basis.
Devotees would have to show ID proof like Aadhaar card, passport or voter ID cards, to obtain the tickets. “Sometimes, tickets are purchased by some people and sold in black. A ₹300 ticket could be sold for as high as ₹1,000,” said a devotee. The temple authorities have earmarked timings for senior citizens and the physically challenged. The elderly could have darshan between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and the physically challenged between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Since around 1 lakh persons are expected to visit the temple, the police have made arrangements to ensure their safety.
Additional buses have been arranged and amenities, including drinking water and toilet facilities, have been provided.
