Bengaluru: In preparation for Vaikunta Ekadashi, to be observed today, the Sharavana Charitable Trust at Basavanagudi has prepared one lakh laddu prasadam for distribution to Venkateshwara temples across the city.

The distribution programme was formally inaugurated on Monday at the trust’s office on DVG Road, where the trust’s founder, and Member of Legislative Council TA Sharavana, offered special prayers and flagged off the laddu distribution. Speaking on the occasion, Sharavana said the trust has been carrying out this service continuously for the past 13 years as part of Vaikunta Ekadashi celebrations.

He said that this year, several temple management committees from various parts of Bengaluru had requested laddu prasadam for distribution to devotees. Accordingly, one lakh laddus have been prepared and will be supplied to temples on Monday. From Tuesday morning, the prasadam will be distributed to devotees visiting temples for special Vaikunta Ekadashi darshan.

Sharavana noted that Vaikunta Ekadashi holds immense religious significance, as it is believed that the Vaikunta Dwara, or the celestial gateway of Lord Vishnu, opens on this auspicious day. While many devotees aspire to have darshan of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupati on this occasion, it is not possible for everyone to travel there. Keeping this in mind, the trust has been preparing Tirupati-style laddus so that devotees in the city can partake in the sacred prasadam. He added that a team of around 100 cooks worked day and nightto prepare the laddus using pure ghee, cashew nuts, raisins and gram flour, maintaining traditional standards and quality.