Vaikunta Ekadasi, the most renowned festival, is considered by the Vaishnavites to be the most auspicious among all functions and rituals. Also, we name it the Paradise Tour, and the Vaishnavites celebrate the festival in a very grand manner in Srirangam. First of all, among all the 108 Divyadesams, Srirangam is the most sacred, topping the list. Not only in Srirangam, but also in all Vishnu temples across the country, the devotees following Vaishnavism celebrate Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Srirangam Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival Schedule
– December 2018
2018 December 7 Thirunedunthandagam
2018 December 8 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 1 day
2018 December 9 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 2-day
2018 December 10 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 3-day
2018 December 11 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 4-day
2018 December 12 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 5-day
2018 December 13 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 6 days
2018 December 14 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 7-day
2018 December 15 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 8-day
2018 December 16 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 9-day
2018 December 17 Mohini Alankaram
Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Pagalpatthu 10 day
2018 December 18 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 1 day
Vaikunda Ekadasi – Sorga Vasal Opening (4.45 AM)
Moolavar Muthangi seva, Namperumal Rathnangi seva
2018 December 19 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 2 days
Moolavar Muthangi seva
2018 December 20 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 3 days
Moolavar Muthangi seva
2018 December 21 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 4 days
Moolavar Muthangi seva
2018 December 22 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 5 days
Moolavar Muthangi seva
2018 December 23 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 6 days
Moolavar Muthangi seva
2018 December 24 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 7 days
Moolavar Muthangi seva, Namperumal Kaithala seva,
Nammalwar Mohini Alankaran
2018 December 25 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 8 days
Thirumangaimannan Vedupari – Namperumal Horse vahanam
2018 December 26 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 9 days
2018 December 27 Sri Namperumal – Vaikunda Ekadasi Festival – Irappatthu (night) 10 days
Theerthavari
2018 December 28 Nammalwar Moksham XI-day Festival
Vaikunta Ekadasi Paramapada Vasal Thirappu at Srirangam:
Basically, the temple authorities plan to conduct the rituals and celebrations for Vaikunta Ekadasi in a very exhaustive manner for a period of twenty-one days. The functions marking the commencement of Vaikunta Ekadasi 2018 fall on December 18 2018. They call the ritual Thirunedunthandagam.
The next day will be the start of the Pagal Pathu celebrations. For the subsequent ten days, the clans of the designated set of people recite the verses from the Vaishnavite canon Nalayira Dhivya Prabhandham. This has been a custom since the early centuries.
The day after the Pagal Pathu is the auspicious day of Vaikunta Ekadasi. On the day of Vaikunta Ekadasi, the presiding deity, Lord Renganathaswamy, gets dressed up very gorgeously. Finally, he comes out of the Door to Heaven called “Paramapadha Vaasal”. And lakhs of devotees witness Him coming out of the Door to Heaven and worship Him.
This ceremonious ritual will normally be before dawn, at around 4 am. Furthermore, you can see a huge crowd of devotees assembling in the temple premises from the previous night itself.
Following the day of Vaikunta Ekadasi, there is another series of celebrations called Ira Pathu. It is taken over by the Aryaars for the next ten days, starting from Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Basically, the Aryan are the clans of a set of people who recite the verses from Naalayira Dhivya Prabhandham. And the recitation is graced with amazing dance performances. The disciples call the series of recitals as Araiyar Sevai.
And thousands of tourists and devotees visit Srirangam every day for all 21 days. Besides the religious rituals, you can find Srirangam in a celebration mode with festivities and shopping areas. Srirangam is so endearing to the Vaishnavites across the country and the globe as well, and people believe it to be very sacred to take part in this Vaikunta Ekadasi festival.
Eventually, the devotees believe that worshipping Lord Rengantha Swamy when he comes out of the Door to Paradise will relieve us from the cycles of births and deaths and attain salvation.
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