TRICHY: The opening of Paramapatha Vaasal, an auspicious event during the 22-day-long Vaikunda Ekadasi festival, was observed with religious fervour at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Templein Srirangam here on Today morning.
Clad in a gem-studded armour, Namperumal, the procession idol of Srirangam temple, traversed through the Paramapatha Vaasal around 5.30am with a sea of devotees chanting “Govinda… Govinda.”
Vaikunda Ekadasi is celebrated in the Tamil month Margazhi (December-January), in the pattern of “Pagal Pathu” (daytime celebrations for 10 days) and “Raa Pathu” (night time celebrations for 10 days).
On the first day of “Raa Paththu,” Namperumal was taken out in a procession from the sanctum sanctorum.
Namperumal passed through the Paramapatha Vaasal – well-known as Sorga Vaasal (gateway to heaven) — to appear before devotees waiting near the thousand pillar mandapam.
The Vaikunda Ekadasi festival commenced with Thirunedunthandakam on December 7 and would go on till December 28 when it will conclude with Nammalvar Motcham.
