Temples across Karnataka and Tirupati to remain closed

Several prominent temples in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, and other regions will remain closed on Sunday night due to the lunar eclipse, following traditional practices of temple sanctity and purification.

India, along with several countries, will witness a total lunar eclipse on Sunday, September 7, starting at 8:50 PM and lasting until 12:22 AM. The five-hour celestial spectacle will see the moon turn red, a sight that draws both scientific curiosity and religious observance.

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In Karnataka, temples across districts — including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Bidar, Chikkaballapur, Koppal, Dakshina Kannada, and Raichur — will remain closed during the eclipse. The closures are rooted in the belief that negative energy spreads during an eclipse, and temples must be purified before rituals resume. After the eclipse, priests will perform abhishekam and sprinkle holy water before reopening for devotees.

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In Bidar, historic temples like Mailar Mallanna, Siddeshwar of Honnakeri, Hanuman of Chalakapura, and Narasimha Jharana will remain closed from Sunday noon until Monday 7 AM. In Belagavi, however, special poojas such as Rudrabhishek and Maha Mangalarati will be held at Kapileshwar Temple, with the Shivling covered in bilvapatra during the eclipse.

Bengaluru’s major shrines including Gavi Gangadhareshwara (11 AM), Kadri Temple (6:30 PM), Banashankari (6 PM), Rajarajeshwari (8 PM), and Annamma Temple in Majestic (8 PM) will close their doors, reopening only after cleansing rituals on Monday morning. Chamundi Temple in Mysuru will shut at 9:30 PM, while Kukke Subramanya and Dharmasthala’s Manjunath Temple will close by evening. Some temples, such as Raichur’s Mantralaya, will remain open.

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Meanwhile, Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh will remain closed for 12 hours — from 3:30 PM on Sunday to 3:00 AM on Monday. Only after purification rituals will devotees be allowed darshan from 6:00 AM.

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