Today, 23 December 2012 is Vaikunta Ekadasi & Mokshada Ekadasi. Also known as Mukkoti Ekadasi, Swarga Vathil Ekadasi, Vaikunta Ekadasi has great significance. Devotees visit the Presiding Deities in all Vaishnava Temples from North gate (Vaikunta Dwara / Swargadwaara / Uttara Dwaram).
In many temples in Tamil Nadu including Srirangam Sriranganathar Temple, Tiruvallikeni Parthasarathi Temple (Triplicane, Chennai), Vaikunta Ekadasi is celebrated on 24 December 2012. In Andhra Pradesh, Yadagirigutta Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple and Bhadrachalam Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy Temple are also celebrating Vaikunta Ekadasi (Mukkoti Ekadasi) on 24th December.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is the only day to have darshan of Lord Vishnu from North entrance. It falls on Shukla Paksha of Dhanurmasam in Malayalam calendars and in Margali month as per Tamil calendars. In 2012 (January 5, 2012), this Ekadasi has even more importance as it falls on Guruvar (Thursday): Guruvar Ekadasi.
Shukla Paksha Ekadasi in Poush Month is known as Putrada Ekadasi in North Indian Hindi calendars. But in South India (in 2012) it is celebrated as Vaikuntha Ekadasi.
Srirangam Sri Ranganathar Koil, Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane of Chennai, Ananta Padmanabha Swamy Temple of Thiruvanthapuram, Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateswara Temple, Bhadrachalam Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy Temple, other Vishnu temples like ISKCON Temples all around the world are the best places to visit on Vaikuntha Ekadasi.
Vaikuntha Ekadasi Puja Procedure
Why devotees will have Darshan of Lord Vishnu from North gate or entrance on Vaikunta Ekadasi
Vaikunta Ekadasi in Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple, Andhra Pradesh
Vaikunta Ekadasi in Tirumala Tirupati Temple, Andhra Pradesh
Vaikunta Ekadasi in Srirangam Sri Ranganatha swamy Temple, Tamil Nadu
Vaikunta Ekadasi festival in Vittalapuram Panduranga Vittaleshwara Temple, Tamil Nadu