Arunachaleswarar Temple timings

Official opening hours

	Timing	Status
Temple opens	5:30 AM	Official
Darshan	5:30 AM – 8:00 PM, every day	Official
Entry on weekends and crowded days	Until about 7:30 PM	Official

Source: official HR&CE temple website, checked 27 September 2026. The site also lists the two devotee entrances: the east Rajagopuram and the north Ammani Amman Gopuram.

Some older guides quote a later closing time (up to about 9:30 PM) because the final night poojas continue after public darshan ends. For an evening visit, aim to be inside by 7:30 PM.

Special days

Day	What changes
Pournami (full moon)	Girivalam pilgrims fill the town from the evening before; darshan queues are long through the night. See Pournami dates.
Pradosham (13th lunar day, twice a month)	Special evening abhishekam to Nandi, roughly 4:30–6:00 PM; the temple is busy.
Karthigai Deepam	Bharani Deepam before dawn and Maha Deepam at about 6 PM; entry by controlled queues and passes. See Karthigai Deepam 2026.
Maha Shivaratri	Worship continues through the night, with the Lingodbhava pooja around midnight. See Maha Shivaratri.
Eclipses and special rituals	The temple may close or change its schedule. Watch the official site for notices.

Daily poojas

Six poojas are performed each day, from about 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM. The approximate schedule, and what each pooja involves, is on pooja timings. During an abhishekam the sanctum may be screened for a few minutes; wait nearby and darshan resumes.

When to go

• Quietest: weekday mornings between 5:30 and 9 AM.
• Busiest: weekend afternoons and evenings, every Pournami, and festival days.
• Coolest months: December to February. April–May is very hot; Sri Ramanasramam’s visitor guide notes temperatures in the mid-40s °C. See best time to visit.