An auspicious day, Srirangam Vaikuntha Ekadasi is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Here I have included some videos of the recent Vaikunta Ekadasi Utsavam, which was celebrated in Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple (Tamil Nadu). You can also view Vaikunta Ekadasi Utsavam live telecast of year 2009 at official website www.srirangam.org from 28th December at 3.00 Am ( IST ) to 05.30 AM.
Srirangam Vaikuntha Ekadasi falls in the Hindu calendar month of Marghazhi or Margashirsha on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight. As per Telugu Calendar, it is observed in the Margali Month in Pushya month.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is also known as Mukkoti Ekadasi (Mokshada) and it is known as Swargavathil Ekadasi in Kerala. According to Vaishnavism (Worship of Lord Vishnu) culture, people believe that ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to Lord’s Inner Sanctum’ is opened on this day. Vaikunta Ekadashi is in the solar Margashira month (Margazhi) in Sri Rangam, which falls on January 7, 2009.
You can watch the live web casting of Vaikunta Ekadasi on E-Darshan. The live Telecast is also done by Doordarshan Podhigai from 3 am and showed recorded video of Vaikunta Ekadashi in Srirangam at 7 pm. Doordarshan presents its live telecast on both Srirangam and Triplicane Vaikunta Ekadashi from 3 am this year.
The Lord wearing a Rathnaangi, armour of diamonds moves from the sanctum to the Thirumamani Mandapam (thousand pillared hall) via the northern gate, the Paramapada Vaasal or the gate to heaven, at Srirangam, Ranganathaswami temple.
It is to be noted that on Vaikuntha Ekadashi day, this gate is kept open only once a year. In Tamil Nadu, this festival is celebrated for 20 days and in all these days, the Tamil devotional prayers in praise of the Lord are sung by the Arayar in special dance format.
People from all over the world come to visit this Srirangam, Ranganatha shrine temple for the Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival. Many devotees keep fast on this day. In all Lord Vishnu Temples, Sorga Vasal Thirappu (Parama Padha vasal) will be done at early morning. At Srirangam temple, it is exited exactly at 4.45 a.m.
Lord Narayana will enter Sorga Vasal (Vaikunta Vasal) and bless the worshiper. Police had been made heavy security arrangements and at the ‘Paramapada Vasal’ premises, limiting the number of devotees for the holy procession avoided the usual over-crowding.
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