Chennai, Dec 30 (IANS) The ancient town of Srirangam witnessed an overwhelming outpouring of faith and devotion as lakhs of devotees gathered at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple to observe the sacred festival of Vaikunta Ekadasi on Tuesday.

Marking one of the most significant spiritual occasions in the Vaishnavite calendar, the day saw devotees from across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States thronging the temple precincts to seek the blessings of Lord Ranganatha.

The sprawling temple complex, adorned with lights and floral decorations, reverberated with chants of “Govinda Govinda” and “Renga Renga” as devotees waited in long queues for darshan.

The highlight of the celebrations was the ceremonial opening of the ‘Paramapadha Vaasal’, symbolising the gateway to salvation, in the early hours of the morning. The rituals began before dawn, with the processional deity, Sri Namperumal, adorned in resplendent jewels and garlands, taken out in a grand procession around 4.30 a.m.

The deity was carried through the ‘Raja Mahendran Thiruchutru’ and ‘Kulasekaran Thiruchutru’ before reaching the ‘Vraja Nadi Mandapam’, where Vedic chants filled the air amid elaborate floral decorations.

At around 5.45 a.m., the sacred ‘Paramapadha Vaasal’ was ceremoniously opened, marking the spiritual high point of the festival.

Amidst thunderous chants from thousands of devotees, the processional deity passed through the gateway, followed by devotees who had waited patiently through the night to witness the auspicious moment.

The deity was later taken to the ‘Manal Veli’ and then to the ‘Thirumamani Asthana Mandapam’ inside the thousand-pillared hall, where devotees continued to offer prayers throughout the day. Many pilgrims had begun queuing from Monday night, braving the cold in anticipation of the sacred darshan.

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu and senior officials were present to oversee the arrangements. Elaborate security measures were put in place, with a large police deployment ensuring smooth crowd management and safety.

The 22-day Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, which commenced on December 19, is observed in two phases — ‘Pagal Pathu’ and ‘Ra Pathu’.

The celebrations will conclude on January 8 with the observance of ‘Nammazhvar Moksham’, marking the spiritual culmination of the annual festival.

–IANS

aal/dan