The holy town of Srirangam buzzed with excitement on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, as thousands of devotees thronged the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple to celebrate Vaikunta Ekadasi. This festival is one of the most sacred among the 108 Divya Desams. The temple was brightly lit and decorated, with the corridors echoing chants of “Govinda Govinda” and “Renga Renga.” Devotees patiently waited in long lines to offer prayers to Lord Ranganatha and the processional deity, Sri Namperumal. The key moment of the 22-day Maargazhi month festival was the opening of the ‘Paramapadha Vaasal’ (the gate to heaven) early Tuesday morning. Around 4:30 a.m., Sri Namperumal, dressed in gem-studded armor and garlands, began a slow holy procession. The deity passed through several decorated temple paths, including ‘Raja Mahendran Thiruchutru’ and ‘Kulasekaran Thiruchutru,’ before reaching the ‘Vraja Nadhi Mandapam.’ Vedic hymns were sung there before moving towards the adorned Paramapadha Vaasal. At about 5:45 a.m., as the gate was opened, chants filled the air again as Sri Namperumal passed through it with devotees following closely. The deity then moved to the ‘Manal Veli’ where eager devotees watched. Later, the procession ended at the ‘Thirumamani Asthana Mandapam’ inside the thousand-pillar mandapam, where prayers continued through the day. Many devotees had arrived the night before, braving cold weather to secure their place. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu and senior officials attended the event. A large police force ensured security both inside and outside the temple during this major festival, which is split into ‘Pagal Pathu’ (daytime) and ‘Ra Pathu’ (nighttime) events. The ‘Ra Pathu’ began this Tuesday. The grand celebrations will conclude with the ‘Nammazhar Moksham’ on January 8, marking the end of this sacred festival.