Date:08/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/08/stories/2009010859090300.htm

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Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Religious fervour marks ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi’

Staff Reporter

Braving cold winds, devotees throng Vaishnavite temples

— Photo: K. Ganesan.

DIVINITY: People worshipping Lord Prasanna Venkatachalapathy in Madurai on Wednesday.

MADURAI: Vaikunta Ekadasi was observed with piety and fervour here on Wednesday.

Vaikunta (abode of Lord Vishnu) Ekadasi falls on the eleventh day of the Sukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) of Dhanur (Margazhi) month.

Braving cold winds, hundreds of devotees, including women, thronged the four Vaishnavite temples in Madurai and surrounding places in the small hours for darshan.

Devotees made a beeline at the temples to catch a glimpse of Lord Vishnu coming out of the temple as part of the ritual of entering the ‘Paramapada Vaasal.’

The four famous Vaishnavite shrines, which attracted a large number of devotees, are Koodal Alagar Perumal Temple and Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple in Madurai; Kallalagar Temple at Alagarkovil and Kalamegaperumal Temple at Tirumogur near here. The ambience at all Vaishnavite shrines resonated with piety.

Special arrangements were made for the occasion for devotees to have hasslefree darshan.