Thoothukudi: In view of the total lunar eclipse, Arulmigu Subramayaswamy temple at Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district was closed on Wednesday evening.
The annual Thai Poosam festival at Tiruchendur, coinciding with the lunar eclipse this year was witnessed by more than 50,000 devotees who gathered at the beach in front of the temple to witness the rare celestial event-a total lunar eclipse coinciding with the super blood moon.
Tiruchendur Subramanya Swamy temple opened up in the early hours of 1 am on Wednesday in view of Thai Poosam festival, but closed for devotees at 4.15 pm in view of the eclipse. Special poojas and abishegams were performed for the deities since 1.30 am. The temple entrance, according to a temple priest, remained closed till 8.50 pm and the temple was reopened for parihara pooja at 9.30 pm.
“The parihara pooja is followed by routine rituals of abishegam, egantha pooja and Palliyarai Dheebarathanai after which the temple entrance will be closed as usual,” said a temple priest. Almost all famous temples in the southern districts were closed since 4.15 pm during the time of the eclipse. Swamy Nellaiyappar temple in Tirunelveli, Siva temple at Papanasam, Kutralanathar temple in Courtalam, Bagavathyamman temple in Kanyakumari, Nagaraja temple in Nagercoil, Kalugasalamoorthy temple at Kalugumalai in Thoothukudi district too were closed on the evening of the eclipse.
