TN: Devotees participate in Vedupari ritual at Srirangam temple in Trichy

Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India]: A large number of devotees witnessed 'Thirumangaimannan Vedupari,' a holy ritual held on Saturday as part of the 22-day Vaikunda Ekadasi festival at Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
The 'uthsavam' is held on the eighth day of the 'Era Pathu' festival.
This episode is enacted every year as part of the Vaikunda Ekadasi festival at the Srirangam temple.
The processional deity, Namperumal, seated on 'kudhirai Vaahanam' is brought to the 'manalveli' and taken in a fast-paced procession (Vaiyali Vagaira Kandarulal).
The deity is thereafter taken to the thousand-pillar mandapam, where rituals are performed in the night before being taken to the sanctum sanctorum.
The ritual is held to mark the divine blessing of the Lord to Thirumangaimannan, who comes and robs the valuables of Lord Narayana and his consort, who were disguised as a newlywed couple decked with jewellery.
The Lord revealed himself and initiated the bandit king into the 'Ashtakshara Mantra' and thus he became 'Thirumangai Azhwar.' (ANI)