Tirumala Temple To Remain Closed For Nearly 10 Hours For Lunar Eclipse

TIRUPATI: The hill temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala will remain closed to devotees for nearly ten hours on March 3 as part of customary practices observed during the lunar eclipse.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) said the temple will be closed from 9 am to 7.30 pm on Tuesday. All darshans and Arjitha sevas will remain suspended during this period, and Annaprasadam will not be served after 9 am. Devotees have been advised to plan their pilgrimage accordingly.

According to TTD, the lunar eclipse will occur between 3.20 pm and 6.47 pm. As per temple tradition, the sanctum doors are closed six hours prior to the eclipse. The temple will reopen at 7.30 pm after purification rituals such as Sudhi and Punyahavachanam, following which darshan will resume.

Several temples under TTD in Tirupati and surrounding areas will also follow the same schedule. The Ammavari temple at Tiruchanoor, Kodandarama Swamy and Govindaraja Swamy temples in Tirupati, Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple at Srinivasa Mangapuram, and Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple at Appalayagunta will remain closed from 9 am and reopen at 7.30 pm. After purification rituals, devotees will be allowed for darshan, while darshan at the Govindaraja Swamy temple will commence from 9 pm.

TTD said Annaprasadam distribution centres at Tirumala, Tirupati and Tiruchanoor will remain closed on March 3. Free meals served at Thollappa Gardens in Tiruchanoor, the TTD Administrative Building employees’ canteen, Sri Padmavathi Rest House, and the Srinivasam and Vishnunivasam complexes will be suspended for the day. However, Annaprasadam for patients and attendants at government hospitals and first-aid centres in Tirupati will be supplied in advance.