Vaikunta Ekadesi, Aranganatha Swamy Temple, Namakkal.

Vaikunta Ekadesi, Aranganatha Swamy Temple, Namakkal. The Vaikunta Ekadesi is celebrated at Aranganatha Swamy Temple, a hill cave temple near Saligrama Hills in Namakkal district, during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January). Thousands of devotees visit the temple each year to celebrate Vaikunta Ekadesi on the grounds of the temple.  The Aranganatha Swamy Temple is located near the Arulmigu Narasimha Swamy Temple.  Lord Ranganathar (Vishnu), who is reclining in a resting position atop the five-headed serpent known as "Karakodaya," is the principal deity of this temple. The "Karakodaya Sayana" pose in which the deity is depicted, with his feet pointing north and his head resting to the south, is the unique feature of the temple. There are three gates to the Aranganatha temple, with the middle one being accessible all day to worshippers. The other two entrances are only open on the day of "Vaikunta Ekadesi". On the eve of Vaikunta Ekadesi, the main deity, Lord Ranganathar, is adorned with precious jewellery and aromatic flowers. On the eve of Vaikunta Ekadesi, the devotees undertake a full day of fasting before climbing a flight of stairs to the temple to see Lord Ranganathar.