The Hindu temple festival Vaikuntha Ekadashi is held at countless Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu and at prominent Vishnu temples in Andhra and Karnataka. The rituals vary from temples to temples. Elaborate rituals are followed at places like Ranganathar temple, Srirangam, Andal temple, Srivilliputhur of Tamil Nadu and at Balaji temple of Tirupati, Andhra.
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| Sree Anantha Padmnabaswamy temple, TVPuram Kerala pinrest.com |
One of the Divyadesam shrines glorified by the Vaishnava saints Azhwars, Anantha Padmanabha swamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala state is the main venue. Located in the center of the city close to the Main Railway terminal it is the richest temple in the world with treasures worth $ 25 billion (without adding antique value). At this temple rituals associated with Swargavathil or Vaikunta Ekadasi are not elaborate and many and it is simple festive event.
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| Pananaswami temple, kerala in Sayana kolam sudheeptnair.blogspot.com |
Swargavathil is held on the eleventh day of the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of moon in the month of Dhanu (December-January). The processional deities after early morning rituals are taken reverentially in a procession from the sanctum -Sri Kovil and then through the Vaikuntha Dwara ( similar to Paranapada vassal). It a colorful and vibrant event here and lots of devotees walk through the Vaikuntha Dwara in the belief, Namperuman will grant them salvation -free from the birth and death cycles.
Here in Kerala in the Vishnu temples the priests are Namboothiri Brahmins and the chief ones are called Nambies. In Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra the priests are drawn from the Vaishnava community with considerable pandithyam and are referred to as Bhattacharyas. In variably, most of them are well versed in Naalaera Diwya Prabhandam devotional hymns in chaste Tamil complied by various Azhwar saints of 7th to 8th century CE.
Normally known as Swargavathil meaning Passage to Heaven in Kerala, Vaikunta Ekadashi festival is observed in the Malayalam month of Dhanu. Here, at this temple, the priests are Namboothiri Brahmins and the chief ones are called Nambies. There are 13 Divyadesam Shrines in Kerala and They figure in the Tamil devotional hymns of three Vaishnava saints – Kulashekhara Azhwar Namazhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar who followed the Bhakti Marg 7th- 8 th century AD.
Lakshadeepam that is held every six years involves the recitation of holy Vedas for 56 days leading up to the main event. On the auspicious day, one lakh oil lamps are lit around the temple, creating a spectacular vibrant ambiance.
The other festivals are Onam, Ashtami Rohini (Sri Krishna Jayanti), Vinayaka Chaturthi, Navratri, Maha Shivaratri, and Ram Navami, each adding to the rich tapestry of cultural and religious celebrations at the temple.
https://www.navrangindia.in/2019/12/vaikuntha-ekadashi-at-padmanabha-swamy
https://www.navrangindia.in/2016/04/unique-worship-of-lord-vishnu-at.html.html
 At Sree Padmanabaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala - A Low Key Ritual ){kind=link}