TIRUCHY: Amidst the chanting of `Renga Renga` lord Namm Perumal, the procession deity of Sri Renganathaswamy Temple passed through the Paramapada Vasal (seventh gate of heaven) for Vaikunta Ekadasi on Tuesday morning.
Lakhs of devotees waited in long queues to take part in the opening event. HR&CE Minister Sekar Babu was among those present. The Covid-19 restrictions have taken out the usual shine from the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival for the second consecutive year. It is the largest festival celebrated at Srirangam temple for 21 days.
The procession started from the main sanctum at Vrischika Lagna around 3:30 am and crossed through the Paramapada Vasal following its opening around 4:45 am. After the Thirukottagai ritual, deity lord Namm Perumal was kept in Thirumamani Asthana Mandapam.
Since, devotees were restricted to enter the temple, only a handful of priests, mediapersons and police personnel were present on the temple premises.
As per an SOP announced by the HR&CE Department, devotees were only allowed to enter the temple after 7 am. However, devotees from other districts had arrived at the temple in the early hours itself.
Footfall in the temple surged following the Paramapada Vasal opening event. By the evening the footfall crossed 1.19 lakh.
Balu, a devotee waiting outside the temple, said, "We have been visiting the Srirangam temple during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival for more than a decade now. Apart from the opening of Paramapada vasal, we would dharshan the deity during the Thirukottagai ritual, where lord Nam Perumal passes through the heaven's gate and would be taken in procession amid thousands of devotees. But due to the pandemic we could not take part in the events."