Tirupati temple will be closed for this special reason
Heads up if you're planning a visit: Tirupati Temple will be closed for around six hours on March 17, 2026.
The reason? It's time for Koil Alwar Thirumanjanam, a special pre-Ugadi purification ritual where the temple gets a deep clean with aromatic ingredients.
The name itself is pretty cool: Koil means temple, Alwar is devotee, and Thirumanjanam translates to aromatic cleansing in Tamil.
What's the process of this purification ritual?
The ceremony starts before sunrise with prayers.
To protect the main idol, its coverings are removed, then every corner of the temple gets washed and sprinkled with things like turmeric, sandalwood powder, betel leaves, and camphor, basically an all-natural spa day for the temple.
Check out the dates when temple will be closed
VIP darshan is off from March 16-19 and one special puja (Ashtadala Pada Padmaradhana) won't happen on March 17.
Access will be restricted during the ritual; participation will be limited to temple officials and priests, and in some cases a small number of devotees with advance permission may be allowed to observe from designated areas.
If you're planning a trip or festival visit around then, it's best to double-check new timings so you don't miss out.