Tirumala temple to be shut for thirteen hours due to solar eclipse

The temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara atop Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh will be shut for almost thirteen hours due to the complete solar eclipse. As per the rituals, the temple will be shut from 11 PM on December 25 and be reopened at 12 PM on December 26, said a statement from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), issued for the benefit of the pilgrims visiting the temple on those dates. The devotees will be allowed into the temple from 2 PM onwards for darshan. The complete solar eclipse would start at 8.08 AM and would end by 11:16 AM.

Up to one lakh, pilgrims visit the world-famous Tirumala temple every day, throughout the year. On festival days and other special occasions, the number goes up to 4-5 lakh.

Traditionally, Hindu temples are constructed in line with the planetary forces that ensure a steady flow of energy throughout the temple, especially from the deity. It is a common practice for Hindu temples to be shut on the days of the eclipse, as the Sun and the Moon are believed to be emitting strong negative energies. As per a belief, temples are shut during the eclipses to purify the space and also ensure the deities installed don’t absorb any of the strong energies.

The Sabarimala temple that typically attracts pilgrims during the winter months would be shut on the eclipse day too. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) sent out a statement that the sanctum santorum would be closed between 7.30 AM and 11.30 PM on December 26. After the customary daily rituals including ‘Neyyabhishekam’, the temple will be closed. It would be reopened after the purification ritual post the eclipse, said an official statement from the board.