Timings, Tickets, Rules and Live Darshan
समय, टिकट, नियम और लाइव दर्शन
Page 3 of 7. Last verified 18 October 2026
The official temple portal lists the opening hours, the six daily pujas and the puja fees. Prices for special darshan tickets are not on that page, so they come from third-party guides and they do not fully agree. This page shows each source.
This is page 3 of our Palani series. Start with the Palani Murugan Temple complete guide if you are new here.
Quick answer: The official portal says the temple is open from 5:45 AM to 8 PM, and lists no afternoon break, but its table splits the day at 1 PM and some guides show a pause around then. Call the temple office before an afternoon visit. On big festival days it opens at 4 AM and closes after 9 PM. Free darshan is available, and paid tickets are sold. Photos and videos are banned, and phones must be switched off. We found no daily live darshan.
Last verified: 18 October 2026. Timings, rules and facilities can change. Please confirm with the temple office or the official HR&CE portal before you travel.
| Opening | 5:45 AM (official portal). Festival days from 4 AM |
| Closing | 8 PM on normal days. After 9 PM on festival days, depending on the crowd (official portal) |
| Afternoon break | Conflicting. The official portal lists no break, but shows the nadai open 5:45 AM to 1 PM and then 1 PM to 8 PM. Some guides show a pause around 1 PM. Confirm with the temple office |
| Free darshan | Yes |
| Puja tickets | Rs 150 for each daily puja. Kattalai (special sponsored) puja Rs 900 (official portal) |
| Special darshan | Third-party guides give Rs 10 to Rs 200, depending on type and day. Book on the official portal or at the temple counter |
| Photography | Banned |
| Phones | Allowed only if switched off. See below |
| Live darshan | No daily live darshan found. See below |
Daily Timings: Official
दर्शन का समय
| Item | Official portal says |
|---|---|
| Nadai (temple doors) open | 5:45 AM to 1:00 PM, then 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
| Big festival days | Opens at 4 AM and closes after 9 PM, depending on the crowd. These are Thaipusam (10 days), Panguni Uthiram (10 days), Kandha Sashti (10 days), monthly Karthigai, Maha Deepa Karthigai, Thai Pongal, Tamil and English New Year, all days of Margazhi, and Diwali |
Third-party sites give 6 AM to 8 PM, or a closing time of 9 PM, and some mention a break around 1 PM. The official portal does not clearly show a break, but its table splits the day at 1 PM. We could not settle this, so plan for a possible pause and confirm by phone.
Daily Pujas
दैनिक पूजा
| Puja | Official time |
|---|---|
| Vila Pooja (Sadhu Sanniyasi Alangaram) | 6:40 AM to 7:15 AM |
| Sirukala Shanthi Pooja (Vedar Alangaram) | 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM |
| Kalasandhi Pooja (Balasubramaniyar Alangaram) | 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM |
| Uchikkala Pooja (Vaithekal Alangaram) | 12:00 noon to 12:45 PM |
| Sayaraksha Pooja (Raja Alangaram) | 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM |
| Rakaala Pooja (Pushpa Alangaram) | 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM |
Some guides also list a Vishwaroopa Darshan at about 5:40 AM. It is not on the official puja list. Ask the temple office for the day's schedule.
Tickets and Prices
टिकट और शुल्क
| Item | Third-party guide or official portal | Another third-party guide |
|---|---|---|
| Free darshan | Free | Free |
| Special entrance darshan | Rs 10 normal day, Rs 20 festival day | About Rs 100 |
| Special darshan with Vishwaroopa | Rs 100 normal day, Rs 200 festival day | Not listed |
| Each daily puja (Vila, Sirukala Santhi, Kala Santhi, Uchikala, Sayaratchai, Irakala) | Rs 150 (official portal) | Rs 150 |
| Kattalai version of each puja | Rs 900 (official portal) | Rs 900 |
| Milk or Panchamirtham abhishekam | Rs 25 | Not listed |
| Golden chariot | About Rs 2,000 | Not listed |
The puja prices are on the official portal. The darshan ticket prices are not, and the guides do not match, so treat those as a rough guide. Book on the official portal and pay only there or at the temple counter. A news report says the temple has started a trial of online puja booking, with five tickets per puja.
Dress Code
पहनावा
A third-party guide advises a dhoti or full-length pants with a shirt for men, and a saree, salwar kameez or other modest dress for women. It says sleeveless tops and shorts are discouraged and footwear is removed. The Madras High Court has ordered dress codes for temples in the past, and a later stay followed. We did not check the current legal position, so treat this as advice.
Photography and Phones
फोटो और फोन
- Photos, videos and selfies are banned inside the temple, and so is posting such content on social media (DT Next).
- Phones were banned in 52 HR&CE temples, including Palani, from 1 September. Devotees had to leave them at a counter for Rs 5.
- On 14 October 2026 the state eased this at 52 temples. Phones can be carried inside if they are switched off (DT Next, UNI). Deposit counters still exist for those who prefer to leave a phone.
- Breaking the rule can lead to action such as a fine or phone confiscation, per news reports.
- The safest plan is to leave the phone at your stay, or switch it off and keep it deep in a bag. Ask at the gate, because rules have changed more than once.
Who Can Enter
प्रवेश नियम
The Madras High Court heard a petition about Palani temple and directed that boards be put up in Hindu temples saying non-Hindus are not allowed beyond the flagpole (kodimaram). The order lets a non-Hindu who has faith in the deity be admitted if he gives an undertaking and is entered in a register. The court applied it to all HR&CE temples, as reported by DT Next.
Queues and Crowd
कतार और भीड़
At the last Thaipusam, a news report describes queues from about 2 AM, waits of nearly six hours, all paid darshan categories cancelled, the hill route made one-way, and several devotees fainting. Pilgrims reported a lack of drinking water and toilets that day. Plan quiet days for seniors. Festival dates are on Page 6.
Facilities for Seniors, Children and Women
सुविधाएँ
| Facility | Official portal says |
|---|---|
| Winch, rope car, battery car | All listed by the official portal. See Page 4 |
| Wheelchairs | Listed at the hill temple, the winch and rope car stations, first aid centres, the footpath and the elephant path |
| First aid | Medical centres at the hill temple, the winch station and the foot path |
| Mothers' room | At the winch lower station, the rope car lower station and Mangammal Mandapam |
| Drinking water and toilets | R.O. drinking water in the temple campus. Toilets at the hill temple, on the pathway and on Giri Street |
| Cloak room and footwear stands | Cloak room at Adivaram north Giri Veethi. Free footwear stands near the main entry points |
| Ear boring and tonsure | Ear boring rooms at the hill temple and Thiruvavinankudi. Tonsure facility around Adivaram and the Shanmuga river |
Live Darshan
लाइव दर्शन
We found no daily live darshan from the Palani sanctum. The player below shows the latest stream from the YouTube channel named Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple. That channel streamed only a few festival events, and its newest stream is old. We could not confirm that the temple office runs it, so treat it as a past-festival replay and not as live darshan.
The video is muted when it starts. Tap the speaker icon for sound. If it does not play, open the channel directly: Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple on YouTube.
More temples with live darshan are on our Live Darshan page. We will update this section if the temple starts a confirmed live stream.
Beware
सावधान
What not to do
- Do not take photos, videos or selfies inside the temple.
- Do not wear shorts or sleeveless tops.
- Do not pay anyone outside the official counters for special darshan.
Scams and risks to watch for
- Anyone who sells a 'special entry' or quick darshan outside the official counters. HR&CE has warned about such middlemen at other Tamil Nadu temples and told devotees to use official sources only.
- Fake booking sites. The official portal address ends in hrce.tn.gov.in. Check the address letter by letter before you pay.
- Advance payment links sent on WhatsApp for pujas, rooms or darshan.
- Fares and fees above the printed rates. Ask for the rate and a receipt.
We found no news report of a specific scam at Palani. The warning above names Tiruchendur and Tiruvannamalai, not Palani. Treat it as a general caution.
Safe habit: Type palanimurugan.hrce.tn.gov.in yourself. Pay only on that site or at the temple counter, and keep the receipt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers
What are the Palani temple timings?
Is darshan free?
How much is a puja ticket?
How much is special darshan?
Where do I book online?
Can I take my phone?
What should I wear?
Can non-Hindus enter?
Is there a live stream?
Is the temple crowded on festival days?
Previous: History, Legends and Scripture | Next: How to Reach Palani and Climb the Hill | Hub: Palani Murugan Temple complete guide
Palani Murugan Temple - Complete Guide (7 pages)
- Page 1: Complete Guide (Hub)
- Page 2: History, Legends and Scripture
- Page 3: Timings, Tickets, Rules and Live Darshan (you are here)
- Page 4: How to Reach Palani and Climb the Hill
- Page 5: Places to Visit Nearby
- Page 6: Thaipusam and Festivals
- Page 7: Fact Check, True or False
Plan your Palani trip
Affiliate links - booking through these links supports Dekho Dham at no extra cost to you. They open general search pages, so enter your own city and dates. Never pay anyone for a "darshan booking" through these or any other site.
Sources and further reading
- The official temple portal (HR&CE, Tamil Nadu) is palanimurugan.hrce.tn.gov.in. We read timings, pujas, fees and facilities from it. Items marked third party or news come from other websites. Nothing on this page is an official temple notice.
- Official temple portal (HR&CE): timings, pujas and fees
- Official temple portal (HR&CE): facilities for devotees
- Temple Timings Now: Palani guide (third party)
- Mandir Timings: Palani timings and booking (third party)
- TemplesTalk: Palani timings, tickets, rope car and winch (third party)
- DT Next (news): phone rules eased at 52 temples, photography still banned
- UNI (news): Tamil Nadu temple mobile phone rules relaxed
- ETV Bharat (news): phone ban at Tamil Nadu temples
- DT Next (news): High Court order on non-Hindu entry, from a Palani petition
- The Commune (news): Thaipusam crowd at Palani
- DT Next (news): online booking for the Palani ropeway
- The420 (news): special darshan fraud at Tamil Nadu temples
- YouTube channel: Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple
Have a question, or spotted something we should verify? Ask in the comments and we will check it against reliable sources and correct the post. See how we source information.
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