Devotees throng Venkateswara shrine for Vaikunta Ekadasi

Over a lakh devotees from all over the country offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here on the occasion of 'Vaikunta Ekadasi' today.
The devotees, after offering prayers to the Lord, had the opportunity of going out through the sacred 'Vaikunta Passage' encircling the sanctum sanctorum of the ancient hill temple.
The holy Vaikunta Passage called as "Vaikunta Dwarams" is opened once a year only on Vaikunta Ekadasi day.