Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam is quite popular for “Mukkoti (Vaikunta) Ekadasi” festival - 10 day event and just like Srirangam Ranganatha Swamy temple in Tamil nadu, it is the main venue of this annual festival and lakhs of devotees will flock to the town to attend the festivities. At this temple the avatar of God Rama is reenacted as part of Mukkoti Ekadasi festival - seventh day. Kancherla Gopanna (c 1620 – 1680) popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasu or Bhadrachala Ramadasu, as per documented history constructed his temple in the 17th century CE - more than 370 years ago).
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| Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam sites.google.com |
This year at the historic Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple ''Mukkoti Ekadasi'' is scheduled to take place on January 2, 2023.The festival will commence with Adyayanoschavalu ritual and the idol of Sri Rama will appear in Machyavatharam. The celebrations will continue till the commencement of two-day Vilaposchavalu ritual.
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| location mal. Bhadrachlam, Telangana. weather-forecast.com |
Special care is to be taken with respect to inspection of the ‘Hamsa Vahanam’ (Swan-shaped boat) and submission of a fitness certificate in advance to ensure smooth conduct of the ‘Teppotsavam’ in the Godavari river at Bhadrachalam on January 1, 2023.
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| Hamsa vahana flot festival, Bhadrachalam, youtube. |
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| Mukkoti Ekadasi Bhadrachalam Sitaramchnda temple illumination.thehindu.com. |
Unfortunately in January 2022 on account of Corona-19 threats, the mega annual religious events — the “teppotsavam” and the “uttara dwara darshanam” were held internally within the precincts of the Temple complex. The “teppotsavam” was held in the “makeshift small tank” at Nithyakalayana mandapam in the presence of the temple priests. on January 12th and 13th there were restrictions on the devotees and crowds within and around the temple complex.
Bhadrachalam Temple in Telangana is not only an important pilgrimage center for the Hindus, but also a major venue in this part for Mukkoti Ekadashi that is celebrated during Dhanur Masam on the day of either Pushya or Margasira Suddha Ekadasi (December – January) as per Telugu Calendar.
Devotees throng the temple to walk through the ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to the heaven’. In countless Vishnu temples across south India there is Vaikunta Dwaram or Paramapadha vassal (widely known in Tamil nadu) that is kept open opened on this day. This gate remains closed for the rest of the year. Devotees walk through the gate and the precinct or Pradhakshana path around the sanctum or innermost sanctuary. Devotees in large numbers do this ritual in the belief that they will get salvation and be from the joy and the pain of birth-death cycles. .
This Vaikunda Ekadasi is is celebrated on a grand scale at the Tirupati Balaji Temple , AP besides Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Temple, Andal temple, Srivilliputhur, Thiruvallikeni Parthasarathy temple, Chennai and at Azhwar Thirunagari of Tamil nadu. In Karnataka it is celebrated with religious fervor at Melkote perumal temple and ISKON in Bangalore. In Kerala, the festival known as Swargavathil Ekadashi is famous at Padmanabha Swamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram.
Normally on the Ekadasi day devotees undertake fasting and read stories from the epics - Ramayana or Mahabharata or engage in Bhajans or attend religious discourses. The latter are on the decline in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. During the long festivities in places like Srirangam, etc., most of the family members living close to the temple stick to vegetarian food and engage in meditation.
https://www.hindu-blog.com/2008/12/mukkoti-ekadashi.html
 Ekadasi” festival - popular at Bhadrachalam ''Sri Sita Ramachandra'' temple){kind=link}