Tirupati, Sep 7 (IANS) The doors of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple atop Tirumala near here and all major temples in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were closed on Sunday due to lunar eclipse.

The priests closed the doors of the temples after performing rituals. They will be re-opened early Monday after purification rituals.

The lunar eclipse begins at 9.50 p.m. and ends at 1.31 a.m. on Monday.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which administers the famous hill shrine, said the doors were closed in a traditional manner at 3.30 p.m.

Speaking to the media outside the main temple, the TTD Trust Board Chairman BR Naidu said in view of the lunar eclipse, the temple doors were closed in a ceremonious manner and will be reopened on Monday after the Suddhi and other religious rituals at 3 a.m.

The darshan for devotees will resume at 6 a.m. on September 8.

Additional Executive Officer Venkaiah Chowdary said all the devotees who were in the compartments were provided darshan as per the time schedule without any inconvenience.

The Annaprasadam wing of TTD has also prepared 50,000 ‘Pulihora’ packets to be distributed among devotees on Sunday, as even the main Annaprasadam Complex, Vakulamata, PAC 2 and Vaikuntham Canteens remain closed in Tirumala owing to the eclipse. The Annaprasadam activity commences from 8 a.m. onwards.

Arjita Sevas like Unjal Seva, Arjitha Brahmotsavam, Sahasra Deepapalankara Seva were cancelled on Sunday on account of lunar eclipse.

Other major temples in both the Telugu states were also shut on account of lunar eclipse.

Mallikarjuna Temple in Srisailam, Kodandarama Temple at Vontimitta, Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Bhadrachalam, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Yadadri,

Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Simhachalam and Kanaka Durga Temple at Vijayawada were also closed

It’s common for the temples to shut the doors during solar and lunar eclipse. The authorities cancel darshan and all sevas and reopen the temples evening after purification.

Sri Suryanarayana Swami Temple, also known as sun temple at Arasavalli in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh was also closed due to lunar eclipse.

Saraswati temple at Basar and Sri Raja Rajeswari temple at Vemulawada was also shut.

–IANS

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