The importance of Vaikunta Ekadasi

Hyderabad, Dec 31: Vaikunta Ekadasi falls on the 11th day of Shukla Paksha in the Pushya Masa (month) in the Hindu calendar. Lakhs of devotees throng Tirumala on Vaikunta Ekadasi day to have a darshan of Lord Venkateswara. Vaikunta Ekadasi is also known as Mukkoti Ekadasi. According to the Vishnu Purana, is devotees observe a fast on Vaikunta Ekadasi day they are blessed with benefits equivalent to observing fast on all other 11 Ekadasis during the year. As per Puranic legend, Lord Vishnu opened the gates of Vaikunta for two demons though they were against him. They had asked for a boon that devotees, who listen to their story and see the image of Lord Vishnu coming out of the Vaikunta Dwaram, will reach Vaikunta. Temples in India make arrangements to open the northern doors on this day for devotees to walk through. Staunch devotees of Lord Venkateshwara fast on Ekadasi and also on Dwadasi, the next day seeking the love and affection of the Lord. Tirumala has a special entrance called Vaikunta Dwaram that encircles the sanctum sanctorum. The dwaram is opened particularly on Vaikunta Ekadasi and it is believed that any person who passes through this Dwaram on this particular day attains salvation. This year, Vaikunata Ekasasi is coinciding with Jan 1, 2015. The Tirumala temple is expecting an inflow of at least 1.3 lakh devotees and VIPs for Vaikuntha Ekadasi Darshan. Last year, as per authorities, 80,000 devotees turned up for the Darshan on Vaikunta Ekadashi.