Thiruparankundram · Tamil Nadu · Shaiva · First of the six Arupadai Veedu
Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple – Timings, Darshan & Seva Booking
The rock-cut hill temple where Murugan married Deivanai. Today’s darshan timings, pooja schedule, seva ticket prices and festival days for Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, Thiruparankundram, from the official HR&CE temple portal.
Lord Subramaniya (Murugan) with Deivanai
- 5:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- 8 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 Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple
Thiruparankundram, on the southern edge of Madurai, is counted as the first of Lord Murugan’s six sacred abodes, the Arupadai Veedu. The shrines are cut into the side of a granite hill, and Murugan sits here in his wedding form — this is where he married Deivanai — with Shiva (Sathyagireeswarar), Durga, Vinayagar and Vishnu (Pavalakanivai Perumal) seated alongside him.
The rock-cut core goes back to the 8th-century Pandya period, and the temple is one of the 275 shrines praised in the Thevaram hymns. Under the Vijayanagara Nayaks, Veerappa Nayakkar completed the outer walls and the seven-tier Rajagopuram, about 150 feet tall. Abhishekam here is offered to Murugan’s golden Vel (spear).
- First of the six Arupadai Veedu of Murugan
- Rock-cut sanctum with Murugan in his wedding form
- Rajagopuram about 150 ft tall with seven tiers
- Abhishekam to Murugan’s golden Vel
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
- 5:30 AM – 1:00 PM
- 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Nadai closed
- 1:00 PM – 3:59 PM
- Darshan runs 5:30 AM–1 PM and 4 PM–9 PM; the temple is closed in the afternoon.
- It is a short ride from Madurai city — Periyar bus stand is about 7 km away.
- As a wedding shrine, it offers a Mappillai Azhaippu (groom’s welcome) seva that can be booked online.
Daily Pooja Schedule
8 poojas are performed every day. Times are India time and change on festival days.
5:30 AM
to 6:00 AM
Thiruvanandal Pooja
7:00 AM
to 7:30 AM
Vila Pooja
8:00 AM
to 8:30 AM
Kalasandhi Pooja
10:30 AM
to 11:00 AM
Thirukala Sandhi Pooja
12:30 PM
to 1:00 PM
Uchikala Pooja
5:30 PM
to 6:00 PM
Sayaratchai Pooja
8:30 PM
to 9:00 PM
Arthajama Pooja
9:00 PM
to 9:15 PM
Palliyarai 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
BookMilk Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookChildren Entry Ticket Ecopark
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹10
BookEll Deepam
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹10
BookGhee Deepam
Pooja · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹10
BookAdult – Entry Ticket ecopark
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹20
BookSeval Ubhayam Online Ticket
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹20
BookFestival Speed Darshan
Special darshan · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹100
BookKulanthai Thathu
Pooja · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹100
BookHand Video Camera Ecopark
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹250
BookMappilai Alaippu
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹501
Book
Gopurams & Temple Tanks
Towers drawn to scale by height; shapes are illustrative.
- Theppakulam· 63,000 sq ft
Shrines inside
- Vallaba Ganapathy
- Dakshinamurthy
- Govarthanambigai
- Shani
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
- RO drinking waterThiruvachiz mandapam, Kambathadi Mandapam, Near the park, Gust House
- Free footwear standTemple Entrance
- Marriage hallTemple Compound
- Tonsuring (hair offering)Very close to Saravanapoigai
- ToiletsNear Thirukoil Shashti Mandapam, Near Saravanapoigai, Near Kriwala Path
- Pilgrim accommodationNear Temple
- Golden chariotTemple Inside
- LibraryNear Sasti Mandapam
- ThulabharamTemple Inside
- WheelchairsInside Temple
- Cloak roomTemple Front Entrence
- Wooden temple car
How to Reach
302, Periya Ratha Veethi, Thiruparankundram, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625005 Get directions
- Periyar bus stand, MaduraiBus stand7 km
- Government Rajaji Hospital, MaduraiHospital12 km
- Madurai JunctionRailway station8 km
- Madurai AirportAirport10 km
History & Legend
Thiruparankundram is honoured as the place where Murugan married Deivanai. That is why he is seen here in his wedding form, surrounded by the gods, sages and celestial beings who came for the ceremony, with Nakkeerar, the Sun and the Moon among them.
The hill has carried many names — Thiruparangiri, Sumanthavanam, Kanthamalai, Sathyagiri and Thenparankundram — and is called the first of Murugan’s six army camps (padai veedu).
Through the centuries
8th century
The rock-cut core of the temple is made under the Pandyas; inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi script are found in the Artha Mandapam.
Thevaram era
The temple is sung in the Thevaram hymns and counted among the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams.
15th–16th century
Veerappa Nayakkar completes the outer wall and the seven-tier Rajagopuram, about 150 ft tall.
Further reading
- ThiruparankundramS. Bose, Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department (1981)
Temple at a Glance
- Abode
- First of the six Arupadai Veedu
- Sthala vriksham
- Kallathi
- Rajagopuram
- About 150 ft, seven tiers
- Theppakulam
- About 63,000 sq ft
- Consort
- Deivanai
Art & Architecture
Halls, sculptures and paintings worth seeking out inside the temple.
- Meenakshi’s weddingPillar sculptureThadathagai (Meenakshi) meeting Alavai Annal (Shiva) — the moment, by legend, she became his bride.
- NarasimhaPillar sculptureVishnu as the man-lion who came to protect his devotee; people pray here for wishes to come true.
- Rathi and ManmathanPillars facing each otherThe goddess of love and her husband; couples who are apart and those about to marry worship them with yellow sandal.
- Shiva as the mother sowPillar sculptureA scene from the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, where Shiva becomes a sow to feed twelve orphaned piglets.
Customs & Rituals
Abhishekam to the golden Vel
Abhishekam is offered to Murugan’s golden spear.
A wedding shrine
Murugan sits in his wedding form, and the temple offers a Mappillai Azhaippu (welcoming the groom) seva.
Temple Animals & Services
- 1Deivanai, the temple elephantAs on 10 December 2022A gift from Assam who arrived on 1 December 2012 and was named after Murugan’s consort.
Run by the temple
- Andavar Subramaniya Swamy Girls Higher Secondary SchoolA temple-owned school near the Park bus stop with about 750 girls in classes 6–12.
- Free Siddha hospitalOn Sannathi Street, treating devotees and local people free of charge.
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 Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple timings?
Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple is open 5:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM; the nadai is closed 1:00 PM – 3:59 PM. Timings change on festival days.
What is the daily pooja schedule at Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple?
8 poojas are held every day, starting with Thiruvanandal Pooja at 5:30 AM – 6:00 AM and ending with Palliyarai Pooja at 9:00 PM – 9:15 PM.
How much is the special darshan ticket?
Festival Speed Darshan: ₹100. Tickets are sold on the official HR&CE portal and at the temple counter.
Can I book sevas at Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple online?
Yes — 12 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 is the sthala vriksham of Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple?
The temple’s sacred tree is the kallathi.
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. Temple office: 0452-2482248.