Srirangam gears up for Ekadasi

TIRUCHY: The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, considered the most sacred of the 108 Vaishnavite temples, is all set for the Vaikunta Ekadasi on January 5.Devotees from across the country will be congregating at the temple to have a glimpse of the Sorga Vaasal Thirappu on the day.Srirangam is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines (Swayam Vyakta Kshetras) of Lord Vishnu. It is also considered as the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divyadesams). The temple is also known as Thiruvaranga Tirupati and Bhoologa Vaikundam. The temple is spread across 156 acres with seven prakaras or enclosures and lies on an islet formed by the twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon. Vaikunta Ekadasi is the major event at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, which is celebrated for 21 days during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January). The fest is divided as pagal pathu and ra pathu. On Ekadasi day, Lord Ranganathar is taken out in a procession through the Paramapada Vasal to the Thirumamani Mandapam. It is believed that Lord Ranganathar holds his ‘Divine Durbar’ in that huge hall. All through the day, devotees recite the Nalayira Dhivyaprabandham. Around 3,000 policemen have been deployed for security.