Monday was a holiday for many, which came as a bonanza for devotees to visit more temples.
Most of Lord Venkateshwara’s devotees in Bangalore were up and about from late Sunday night, standing in serpentine queues, women draped in silks and men in dhotis, waiting for the Vaikunta Dwaram (gates of heaven) at the temples to open.
“We have had people coming in since 4.30am,” said BR Achutta Bhatta, chief priest at Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple in Malleswaram.
Such was the fervour that some devotees decided to visit more than one temple on the auspicious day. Krishna Rao, a devotee, said, “Visiting temples today will give me a direct ticket to heaven.”
Devotees visiting the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) at Vyalikaval and the Kote Sri Prasanna Venkataramanaswamy Temple near KR Market had a visual treat of heaven, what with the temples decked with beautiful flowers and lights. Bhujanga Rao P, an organiser at TTD, said that the rush was more this year as “it is not only a holiday, but also because there is no Vaikunta Ekadashi in 2010, as the auspicious day occurred twice this year — once on January 7 and again today.”
Sudha P, who visited about three temples in the city, said, “Today has been a very fulfiling day for me. Since it’s a holiday, I could visit at least three temples and pray to my heart’s content. I was also lucky to have escaped the queue in all the places.” Madhusoodhanan, one of the 30,000-odd devotees waiting at the Kote Sri Prasanna Venkataramanaswamy Temple, however, was a little miffed as he had to wait for almost four hours to get a darshan.
Devotees received delicacies like laddus and others made of semolina as prasada. Madhavan Narasimha Bhattar, chief priest at Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple, said, “Many devotees observe a fast on Ekadashi. The prasada is for those who observe partial abstinence from food. We have taken care not to serve anything made of rice, as rice is avoided when on a fast.”
He added that some devotees refrain from sleeping the entire day and sing praises of the Lord, or just stay at the temple until Dwadashi sets in. “They then have a bath and offer prayers to the Lord before breaking their fast,” he said.
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