Thanjavur · Tamil Nadu · Shaiva · Chola royal temple, sung in the Thiruvisaippa
Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple – Timings, Darshan & Seva Booking
Rajaraja Chola’s granite temple — the Big Temple of Tamil Nadu. Today’s darshan timings, pooja schedule, seva ticket prices and festival days for Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur, from the official HR&CE temple portal.
Lord Peruvudaiyar (Brihadeeswarar, Shiva) with Goddess Periyanayagi
- 6:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- 4 daily poojas
- Sevas from ₹5
Tickets are booked on the government HR&CE portal, which opens in a new tab. If the portal is down, that tab waits and opens it as soon as it’s back.
Right now at the temple
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About Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple
Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple, known to its builders as Rajarajeswaram and to everyone else as the Big Temple, was raised by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE using only granite. Just as "Koil" alone means Chidambaram to Shaivites, "Periya Koil" means this temple. It is honoured in the Thiruvisaippa, the ninth Thirumurai, and is a UNESCO World Heritage monument admired for its architecture, sculpture, bronzes, paintings, music and dance traditions.
The complex runs about 793 feet by 397 feet inside a small fort with a moat, entered from the east through the Maratha gate, then the Keralanthakan gate — built to mark Rajaraja’s victory over the Cheras — and the Rajarajan gate. The temple follows the Makuda Agama, and its gopurams use an unusual two-layer construction, an inner and outer wall with a passage between, that later Chola builders never repeated.
- Built 1003–1010 CE by Rajaraja Chola I entirely of granite
- Keralanthakan and Rajarajan gateways with double-walled construction
- Shrines of Periyanayagi, Murugan, Vinayagar, Varahi and the Nandi
- Four poojas a day, from 8:30 AM to the 8 PM Arthajama
Temple Timings
Time at the temple (India)
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- Open for darshan
- Darshan paused
- Pooja
The ring shows the AM (midnight to noon) hours.
Open for darshan
- 6:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Nadai closed
- 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Darshan runs 6 AM–12:30 PM and 4 PM–8:30 PM.
- Abhishekam tickets for Peruvudaiyar, the goddess, Varahi, Murugan, Vinayagar and the Nandi can be booked on the portal.
- The temple car park charges ₹10 for cars, ₹30 for vans and ₹50 for buses.
Daily Pooja Schedule
4 poojas are performed every day. Times are India time and change on festival days.
8:30 AM
Morning Pooja
12:00 PM
Uchikala Pooja
6:00 PM
Evening Pooja
8:00 PM
Arthajama Pooja
Seva & Darshan Tickets
All sevas on HR&CEFees for booking online on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Tickets are issued by the temple; Trypdeals does not sell them.
Annai Tamizhil Vazhipadu
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookArchanai Ticket
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookCar Parking Fees
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹10
BookVan Parking Fees
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹30
BookBus Parking Fees
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹50
BookArulmigu Murugan Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹750
BookArulmigu Vinayagar Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹750
BookArulmigu Varahi Amman Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹1,250
BookArulmigu Periyanayagi Amman (Special) Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹2,500
BookArulmigu Peruvudaiyar (Ordinary) Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹2,500
BookArulmigu Nanthiyam Peruman Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹6,500
Book
Gopurams & Temple Tanks
Towers drawn to scale by height; shapes are illustrative.
Dress Code & Facilities
Wear
- Men: dhoti or veshti, or trousers with a shirt
- Women: saree, half-saree, or salwar with dupatta
Avoid
- Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Leather items near the sanctum
- Footwear — leave it at the free stands outside
Facilities
- ToiletsRight side of the temple Entrnace
- RO drinking waterEntrance
- WheelchairsNear Nataraja Shrine
- ParkingOpposite of Big Temple
- Cloak roomCloak Room is located at Right side on Keralanthagan Entrance
- Free footwear standShoes Stand is loacated at right side on Keralanthagan Entrance
- Wooden temple car
How to Reach
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613001 Get directions
- Aiyaru Vandaiyar Thanjavur Old bus standBus stand0.5 km
History
Through the centuries
1003–1010
Rajaraja I builds Rajarajeswaram entirely of granite.
11th century
The Keralantakan gateway (about 110 ft) and the Rajarajan gateway (about 78 ft) are built under Rajaraja I.
Chola to Maratha periods
More than 100 inscriptions record how kings from Rajaraja to the Marathas built and ran the temple and how it served the community.
From 1897
The Archaeological Survey copies the inscriptions and publishes them in South Indian Inscriptions, Volume II.
Further reading
- Tanjore Peruvudayar TempleKudavayil Balasubramaniam
Temple at a Glance
- Builder
- Rajaraja Chola I
- Inscriptions
- More than 100
- Keralantakan gateway
- About 110 ft, five tiers
- First prakaram
- Shrines of Vinayagar, Karuvur Siddhar, Murugan, Chandikeswarar and Nataraja, with 108 lingams
Art & Architecture
Halls, sculptures and paintings worth seeking out inside the temple.
- Gateway friezesBase of the second gopuramCarved stories: Markandeya, Shiva’s and Murugan’s weddings, Kiratarjuna, the burning of Kama, Kannappar, and the burning of the three cities.
- DwarapalakasInside the gopuramTwo guardian figures about 18 ft tall.
- Dakshina MeruThe great vimanaThe sanctum tower, together with the Murugan shrine, is the temple’s treasure-house of sculpture.
Customs & Rituals
Karuvur Siddhar
The Siddhar has his own shrine in the first prakaram, beside those of Murugan and Nataraja.
Online Booking Rules
How seva and darshan booking works on the HR&CE portal — worth reading before you pay.
- 1Book only on the official portalDarshan and seva tickets are sold on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Many temples offer free darshan slots; paid tickets are priced by each temple.
- 2A government ID for every personEach devotee on the ticket needs a government ID number at booking — Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN, ration card or driving licence.
- 3One ID, one booking at a timeThe same ID cannot be used again until a gap set by the temple has passed. If a booking fails, the ID is released and can be used straight away.
- 4Your e-ticketA confirmed booking produces a PDF e-ticket to download; it is also sent to the email and mobile number you give. The portal’s “e-Ticket Verification” page lets you check a booking and download the ticket again.
- 5If a payment is stuckA pending payment usually settles within 10 to 30 minutes — the portal re-checks with the bank on its own. If money was debited but the booking failed, the bank refunds it in 3–5 working days.
- 6Paid bookings are finalPaid tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded, so check the date and slot before paying.
- 7Ticket won’t open?On older Android phones the PDF sometimes won’t display — download it and open it in an up-to-date PDF reader.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple timings?
Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple is open 6:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM; the nadai is closed 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM. Timings change on festival days.
What is the daily pooja schedule at Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple?
4 poojas are held every day, starting with Morning Pooja at 8:30 AM and ending with Arthajama Pooja at 8:00 PM.
Can I book sevas at Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple online?
Yes — 11 sevas, from ₹5, can be booked on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Each seva above links to its official booking page.
What is the dress code?
Traditional dress is expected: dhoti or pants with a shirt for men, and saree, half-saree or salwar with dupatta for women. Shorts and sleeveless tops are not allowed.
What ID do I need to book darshan online?
Every person on the ticket needs a government ID number at booking — Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN, ration card or driving licence. The same ID can be used again only after a gap set by the temple.
Can I cancel a paid seva or darshan ticket?
No. Paid bookings on the HR&CE portal are final and cannot be cancelled or refunded. If money was debited but the booking failed, the bank refunds it within 3–5 working days.
Timings, pooja schedule, fees and festival days come from the official Tamil Nadu HR&CE Thirukoil portal and are refreshed daily (last update 9 Oct 2026). They change on festival days — please confirm on the official temple page before you travel.