Devotees throng Srirangam on 'Vaikunta Ekadasi'

Srirangam, Dec 20: Thousands of devotees from various parts of the country witnessed the annual 'Vaikunta Ekadasi' at Sri Ranganathaswamy temple here this morning.

The festival deity of Sri Namperumal, bedecked with precious stones and mounted on a golden palanquin, entered the historic Paramapathavasal (Gates to the Heaven) in a ceremonial procession at 0515 hrs.

The devotees chanted 'Ranga Ranga' when the processional deity entered Paramapathavasal.

The deity was first taken out in a procession from the Sanctum Sanctorum at 0415 hrs. It would be placed on a decorated 1,000-pillar mandap for darsan for the rest of the day.

UNI