Sorga Vasal draws thousands

TIRUCHY: Thousands of devotees thronged the world-famous Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple as early as 3 am on Saturday to have a darshan of the deity appearing through the Sorga Vasal, the major event of Vaikunta Ekadasi festival.

Lord Namperumal adorned with ‘Ratnangi,’ passed through the Paramapada Vasal, that was opened at 4 am amid chants of Ranga, Ranga, and Govinda, Govinda by devotees. The processional deity left the Moolasthanam around 3 am and was taken in a procession amid chants of devotional hymns by devotees lined up in the praharams.

The procession went through Raja Mahendran Tirusutru and Kulasekaran Tirusutru and reached the Nadhi Mandapam, where the deity halted for some time and gave darshan to the people.

Meanwhile, priests and Vedic scholars rendered hymns at Nandi Mandapam, which was decorated with flowers and festoons.

Soon after passing through the Paramapada Vaasal Namperumal was taken to the Tirumamani Asthana Mandapam inside the Thousand Pillar Mandapam where several thousands of devotees had darshan.

Elaborate arrangements were made by the HR&CE department. While the district administration and the Corporation made several facilities the police stepped up security inside and outside the temple and public announcements were made to ensure the devotees to regulate their movement without any problem.

Traffic diversions were put in place by the police and allowed the devotees after a thorough scrutiny. Tiruchy district declared a local holiday because of the festival.