GUNTUR: Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, one of the oldest Vaishnavite temples in the country, is all decked up for the annual Vaikunta Ekadasi festival in Mangalagiri. Officials are expecting that over one lakh devotees might visit the temple for darshan and for the special teertham (holy water) which will be offered through a golden Dakshinavarti Shankh on December 23 and 24.
Every year, special pujas are performed during the festival and pilgrims arrive in droves to have darshan of the presiding deity Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. After certain pre-dawn religious formalities are conducted, the Vakiunta Dwaram - encircling the temple’s sanctum sanctorum - will be opened for the devotees from 3 am to 12 pm on Saturday. The 11-storey Gali Gopuram has been decorated.
Elaborating the arrangements, temple executive officer Annapureddy Ramakoti Reddy said Tiruvanjanothsavam will be held from 1 am to 3 am on December 23. Devotees can have the darshan of the deity on the golden Garuda Vahanam at the Uttara Dwara Darshan of the temple. Shanku Theertham will be provided from 4 am to 9 pm on Saturday, and from 6 am to 8 pm on Sunday.
Besides the free darshan, special queue lines for Rs 100, and Rs 200 have been set up. He explained all basic amenities, have been arranged at the temple’s premises to prevent any inconvenience to the devotees. The officials informed 25,000 Laddu prasadams are being prepared for the auspicious day.