Srirangam temple all set for Vaikunta Ekadasi festival

The Vaikunta Ekadasi festival at the Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is set to begin on December 19 with Thirunedunthandagam in the evening.

Arrangements are on in full swing within the sprawling temple complex in connection with the 22-day festival which attracts a large number of devotees. The festival is split into two parts with Pagal Pathu and Iraa Pathu. The agal Pathu begins on December 20 and goes on up to December 29. The processional deity Sri Namperumal will be taken out in a procession from the sanctum sanctorum in the morning to the Arjuna mandapam during these days where rituals will be performed and for the general public to offer worship before being taken back to the sanctum sanctorum at night. 

The highlight of the festival is the opening of the Paramapadhavaasal in the early hours on December 30. The processional deity Sri Namperumal will be taken out in a procession from the sanctum santorum and pass through the Paramapadhavaasal to the Thirumamani Aasthana mandapam.

Iraa Pathu begins on December 30 and will go on till January 8. The festival concludes with the Nammazhwar Moksham on January 9. The Thousand Pillar Mandapam within the temple complex is being spruced up and decorated by the temple authorities in connection with the festival.

The Tiruchi City Police will put in place an exhaustive security scheme for the opening of the Paramapadhavaasal when devotees footfall is expected to peak.

As in the past, the Tiruchi City Police has sought additional manpower strength from other districts this time as well in addition to their existing strength for deployment within the temple and its vicinity on December 29 and 30.