Priests and TTD officials are closing the Tirumala temple due to the lunar eclipse on Tuesday. | Photo credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
The hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala remained closed for devotees for nearly ten hours on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) due to the lunar eclipse. The towering wooden doors of the hill temple were closed nearly six hours before the celestial event began, as dictated by the Agama traditions that govern the temple.
The sanctuary reopened around 7:30 pm after the eclipse was closed and the prescribed cleaning protocol was completed. Ceremonies like Suddhi, Punyavachanam and other consecration ceremonies were performed in accordance with long-standing religious practices before the pilgrims were allowed to have darshan of the deity.
Published – March 3, 2026 8:18 PM IST
