A festive atmosphere has permeated the temple town of Srirangam as the 22-day Vaikunda Ekadasi festival commenced at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple - the foremost among the 108 ‘Divya Desams’ - with the ‘Thirunedunthandakam’ on Thursday night.
The 10-day ‘Pagal Pathu’ ‘uthsavam’, as part of the annual festival, started on Friday with the processional idol Sri Namperumal being taken out in a procession in the early hours from the sanctum sanctorum to the Arjuna Mandapam.
A steady stream of devotees offered worship to the processional deity at the Arjuna Mandapam from where the deity was taken back to the sanctum sanctorum in the night. The Vaikunda Ekadasi festival at Srirangam temple is split into: ‘Pagal Pathu’ (10days) followed by ‘Raa Pathu’ (10 days).
The highlight of the festival is the opening of the ‘Paramapadhavaasal’ in the early hours on January 2 on the auspicious ‘Ekadasi’ day. The processional deity will be taken out in a procession from the sanctum sanctorum and pass through the ‘Paramapada Vaasal’. The deity will thereafter be brought to the ‘Thirumamani Asthana Mandapam’ for darshan to the devotees.
The ‘Raa Pathu’ ‘Uthsavam’ commences from January 2. The ‘Thirukaithala Sevai’ is on January 8 followed by Thirumangai Mannan ‘Vedupari’ on January 9. The festival concludes with the ‘Nammazhvar Moksham’ on January 12. Temple authorities, civic body official and the Tiruchi City Police personnel have been making necessary arrangements for the festival which attracts devotees not only from different parts of Tamil Nadu but also from neighbouring States. The Tiruchi City Police have put in place a separate security scheme for the ‘Pagal Pathu’ uthsavam.
