Summary:
"In the past three decades, we have never missed witnessing the opening of Paramapatha Vaasal at Srirangam temple. Exiting the Paramapatha Vaasal, Namperumal appeared for darshan for thousands of devotees waiting near thousand pillar hall and Vella gopuram in the chilly weather. Trichy: The opening of Paramapatha Vaasal, an auspicious event of the 22-day Vaikunda Ekadasi festival, was held with religious fervour at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam here on Tuesday morning. Around 4.15 am on Tuesday, clad in gem-studded armour, Namperumal, the procession idol of Srirangam temple, left the sanctum sanctorum and passed through Santhanu mandapam, Raja Mahendran Thiruchutru with the corridors packed with devotees. Namperumal, the procession deity of Srirangam temple, traversed through Paramapatha Vaasal gates as a sea of devotees chanted "Govinda… Govinda..." Lakhs of devotees from various quarters of the world thronged Srirangam Island to witness the event.Revered as the ‘Boologa Vaikundam’ (Heaven on Earth), Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, situated between Kollidam and Cauvery is the foremost of all Divya desam temples as per Vaishnavite belief..