Tirumala temple to shut for over 10 hrs on March 3 due to this celestial event

The Tirumala temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati will remain closed for the devotees from 9 am to 7.30 pm, just a day before the festival of Holi. The temple will remain closed on March 3 on account of lunar eclipse. It was announced by the temple administration.According to a press release by the Tirumala temple. Tirupati, the temple will reopen for devotees after the completion of 'suddhi', the purificatory rites performed to cleanse the temple after the eclipse, with offline darshan resuming at 8.30 pm. "The temple will remain closed for over 10 hours and will reopen for devotees after the completion of purificatory rituals," it added. The lunar eclipse is expected to last nearly three-and-a-half hours, from 3.20 pm to 6.47 pm. "TTD said several sevas-including Ashtadala Pada Padmaradhana (worship of the Lord's feet with eight-petaled lotus flowers), Kalyanotsavam (celestial wedding ceremony), Unjal Seva (swing ceremony), Arjita Brahmotsavam (ceremonial procession) and Sahasra Deepalankara (lamp illumination ceremony)-will be cancelled due to the eclipse."Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has requested devotees to cooperate with the arrangements made in view of the lunar eclipse as per a PTI report.Why do temples close on eclipsesWhether it is the solar or the lunar eclipse, it is believed that both these celestial events are inauspicious and hence no puja or holi task is performed during this period. Throughout the world, all religious activities remain suspended and the doors of all the temples remain closed. Tulsi dal is kept in all food items that have been cooked and after the eclipse a shuddhi is performed with Ganjagal and snan, depending on the local tradition.The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, also known as Tirupati Balaji, is on the seven hills of Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, India. Every year, millions of people visit it.Tamil king Thondaiman built it around 300 CE. It grew under the rule of the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, and Vijayanagara.Since British times, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has run it. It's the world's richest temple, thanks to donations from devotees. Suprabhatam is a daily ritual, and Brahmotsavams, which draw in over 75,000 visitors each day, are held there.