Devotees Flock to Temples on Vaikunta Ekadasi in Hyderabad
On Friday, large numbers of devotees gathered at temples across Hyderabad to celebrate Vaikunta Ekadasi, an important Hindu festival. Many observed fasts and visited temples to pray and seek blessings on this auspicious occasion.
Special prayers, discourses, and rituals were conducted at various Vaishnava temples in the city. Popular temples such as the TTD Sri Venkateswara Temples in Himayathnagar and Jubilee Hills, ISKCON temples in Secunderabad and Abids, Hare Krishna Golden Temple in Banjara Hills, Birla Mandir, Chilkur Balaji Temple, and Venkateswara Swamy temples in Jiyaguda, Namalagundu, and Kushaiguda witnessed heavy crowds. Devotees patiently stood in long queues to participate in devotional activities and cultural events throughout the day.
To mark the significance of Vaikunta Ekadasi, temple managements invited spiritual speakers to deliver discourses. According to Hindu mythology, this day symbolizes the opening of the gates of Vaikunta, the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu, allowing devotees to seek his blessings.
At the Hare Krishna Golden Temple, grand celebrations began early in the morning at 5:15 am. The event started with the ‘Vaikunta Dwara Pratista’, where devotees received darshan through the temple’s ‘Uttara Dwara’ (North door). The day proceeded with ‘Pradhama Darshana’ offered to Acharya Srila Prabhupada and a special Lakshmi Narayana alankara (decoration) for the deities Swayambhu Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and Radha Govinda.
Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa Prabhuji, president of the Hare Krishna Movement in Hyderabad, highlighted the spiritual importance of the festival. He explained, “Vaikunta Ekadasi celebrates the Lord’s immense love for His devotees. When one of His most cherished devotees completed his earthly journey, the Lord personally welcomed him at the Vaikunta Dwara. By passing through the Vaikunta Dwara, devotees seek the Lord’s grace, fulfilling their desires and becoming eligible to enter Vaikunta.”
The festival brought a sense of devotion and joy to Hyderabad, as devotees came together to honor this sacred day.
