Lunar Eclipse 2025: Hyderabad Temples to Remain Closed Till September 8

In view of the lunar eclipse, several temples across the city will remain closed from Sunday night (September 7) until early Monday morning (September 8).

The management of the Chilkur Balaji Temple has announced that the shrine will reopen for devotees at 8 am on Monday after the completion of Abhishekams. Similarly, all Sri Venkateswara temples in Hyderabad under the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administration will also remain closed during the eclipse.

Other prominent shrines, including the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Yadagirigutta and the Birla Mandir, are expected to remain shut as well and will reopen only after the eclipse concludes.

Why Temples Close During Eclipses

In Hindu tradition, eclipses are regarded as inauspicious, and temples are closed during the phenomenon for both spiritual and scriptural reasons:

Spiritual Belief in Impurity

It is believed that negative energies intensify during an eclipse, making the atmosphere spiritually impure. To safeguard the sanctity of the deity, priests close the sanctum until the eclipse has passed.

Scriptural References

Texts such as the Smritis and Puranas describe eclipses as the result of Rahu and Ketu (mythological shadow planets) swallowing the Sun or Moon. These events are associated with doshas (inauspicious effects), and rituals are therefore suspended until the eclipse ends.

Pause in Regular Worship

No puja, aarti, or abhishekam is performed during an eclipse. Instead, devotees focus on chanting mantras, meditation, and fasting, which are believed to ward off malefic effects.

Ritual Cleansing Afterwards

Once the eclipse ends, temples reopen only after purification rituals (punyahavachanam) and fresh offerings to the deity.

Personal Practices

Devotees are traditionally advised to avoid eating or drinking during the eclipse. Many also bathe before and after the event as a symbol of purification.