Vaikunta Ekadasi celebrated with gaiety in Telugu States

Hyderabad: Huge number of Hindu devotees thronged temples on Monday early morning and offered special poojas on occasion of Vaikunta Ekadasi.

Beeline of devotees were seen at the major temples across two Telugu States including famous temples- Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple in Tirupati, Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Yadadri– waiting to have darshan of the deities and offer prayers.

The temple's management had made arrangements for the devotees to have a hassle-free darshan.

Vaishnava temples situated in Godavari region are decked up for the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi on Monday. The authorities have made elaborate arrangements to provide comfortable darshan to devotees at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Dwaraka Tirumala, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Antarvedi and Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy temple in Annavaram. They are taking steps to provide Lord darshan from 4 am onwards. Keeping in view of the swelling number of devotees on Vaikunta Ekadasi, the Dwaraka Tirumala temple authorities have increased darshan ticket price to Rs 300. But the price of darshan tickets has not been hiked in Annavaram as well as Antarvedi temples. A host of VIPs, including Ministers, MPs and MLAs from the State and other parts of the district are expected to have darshan on the auspicious day.

Annavaram Temple Executive Officer NVSN Murthy told The Hans India that they made all arrangements and performed special puja and rituals for the deity. He said Uttaradwara darshanam will be entertained from 5 am to 12 pm and expecting nearly 10,000 devotees on the day.

Murthy said that Visakha Sarada Peetham Uttaradhikari Swatmanandendera Saraswati Swamy would visit the temple and perform pujas. He informed that there will be live telecast of the programme. In the wake of the recent controversy over serving of meals, the EO made it clear that food would be served in banana leaves only instead of steel plates.

He said that they would consider the issue of serving meals in steel plates after getting orders from higher officials of Endowments department. Speaking with The Hans India, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, Antarvedi Executive Officer Y Bhadraji said that they are expecting more than 7,000 devotees to visit the temple on Vaikunta Ekadasi. Ekanta Seva of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy will be conducted from 4.30 am to 6.30 am. Lord darshan will commence from 6.30 am onwards till 12 pm. He said that they have not increased the rates of the tickets for the special occasion.

The Dwaraka Tirumala temple authorities are making elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of Vaikunta Ekadasi (Vaikunta Dwara Darshan) on Monday. A huge number of devotees are expected to visit the temple. Temple Executive Officer Vendra Trinatha Rao stated that keeping in view of the swelling number of devotees on Vaikunta Ekadasi, darshan ticket was increased to Rs 300.

He said that previously the rate has been fixed at Rs 100 to Rs 200 but in view of Vaikunta Ekadasi, rate was fixed at Rs 300 only on the auspicious day. Even after hiking the price, all tickets were sold out. Many devotees are facing difficulties to get the tickets. On Sunday, EO Trinatha Rao inaugurated a face scan system , advanced electrical gas boiler system and steel plate cleaning machine for the purpose of Annadanam at the temple premises. At least 50,000 devotees are expected to have Uttara Dwara Darshanam on the day.