KURNOOL: The Srisailam temple will remain closed to devotees for nearly 16 hours in view of the upcoming lunar eclipse. In a press release on Monday, temple Executive Officer M Srinivasa Rao said the temple doors will be closed on September 7 to 8 from from 1.00 pm to 5.00 am.
The lunar eclipse is scheduled to begin at 9.56 pm on September 7 and end at 1.26 am on September 8. During this period, all special and regular services, including the sacred Sparsha Darshanam and the celestial wedding of Sri Swami and Goddess Ammavaru, will remain suspended.
Other sub-temples, including Sakshi Ganapathi, Haatakeswaram, Paaladhara-Panchadhara, and Srikhareswaram, will also remain closed during the eclipse.
The temple will reopen at 5.00 am on September 8 after purification rituals and special prayers. Devotees will be allowed only for Alankara Darshanam (viewing of decorated deity). Mahamangalaharathi will be performed at 7.30 am, followed by Alankara Darshanam from 7.30 am.
Devotees holding online Sparsha Darshanam and Virama Darshanam tickets for September 8 will be allowed entry from 2.15 pm to 4.00 pm. The Alankara Darshanam will resume from 5.30 pm, followed by ‘Sparsha Darsha’ again from 9.00 pm onwards. The EO urged devotees to take note of the revised schedule and cooperate with the management.