Priests Announce Early Closures, Special Rituals Ahead of Rare Celestial Event on Sunday
Several temples in Bengaluru will alter their schedules on Sunday in view of the upcoming lunar eclipse. The rare celestial event, a full lunar eclipse, will occur between 9:57 p.m. on September 7 and 1:26 a.m. on September 8, and will be visible across India. During this time, the Moon will pass entirely through the Earth’s shadow, taking on a striking reddish hue.
At Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Gavipuram Extension, chief priest Somasundara Dikshit announced that the temple will close by 11 a.m. on Sunday. “For lunar eclipses, we close the temple nearly six hours in advance. Only milk naivedya will be offered before closing, and purification rituals will be carried out the next morning,” he explained. Darshan will resume after the purification.
At the Banashankari Temple, the lunar eclipse coincides with the birth anniversary of Banashankari Devi. Special pujas will be conducted from 5 a.m., including the Chandika Homa. Devotees will have darshan until 4 p.m., after which the temple will close. Purification rituals will take place early the next day.
The Gaali Anjaneya Temple will shut its doors at 3 p.m., with darshan ending half an hour earlier. Darbhe (sacred grass) will be placed in the sanctum before closure, and Shanti puja will be performed the following morning.
Similarly, the Kadu Malleshwara Temple will close at 12:30 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. the next day. Purification rituals, including Rudra Homa and Prasad Seva, will follow. Temple authorities have urged devotees to plan visits accordingly, as rituals linked to the eclipse hold deep religious significance.
