Chennai · Tamil Nadu · Shaiva · Thevaram shrine of North Chennai
Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple – Timings, Darshan & Seva Booking
North Chennai’s ancient Shiva shrine, the first lingam after the flood. Today’s darshan timings, pooja schedule, seva ticket prices and festival days for Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple, Chennai, from the official HR&CE temple portal.
Lord Thyagaraja (Adhipureeswarar, Padampakka Nathar) with Goddess Vadivudai Amman
- 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- 5 daily poojas
- Sevas from ₹2
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 Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple
Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple is the great old shrine of industrial North Chennai. The temple tells how, after the cosmic deluge, Shiva soaked up the flood waters with his own heat — the name Ottiyur comes from that “wiping away” — and a self-formed lingam rose beneath a magizham tree. Being taken as the first lingam to appear after the flood, the Lord is Adhipureeswarar; because he resembles Thiruvarur’s Thyagesar, he is also worshipped as Thyagaraja. The serpent Vasuki is said to have merged into him, so he is Padampakka Nathar too, and the mark of the snake is shown on the lingam.
Goddess Vadivudai Amman is revered as the form of wisdom; at the noon pooja devotees offer her a red saree and jackfruit with their prayers. The temple is praised by all three Thevaram poets and by Vallalar. Sundarar married Sangiliyar here, vowing under the magizham tree never to leave her, and lost his sight when he crossed the town’s border. Pattinathar chose the seashore here for his samadhi, Kaliya Nayanar was born here, and the fierce Vattaparai Amman (Kali) is said to have been calmed by Adi Shankara.
- Adhipureeswarar, the first self-formed lingam after the deluge
- Vadivudai Amman, goddess of wisdom
- Shrine of the 27 Nakshatra lingams
- Where Sundarar married Sangiliyar
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 – 12:00 PM
- 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Nadai closed
- 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Darshan runs 6 AM–12 PM and 4–8:30 PM; on Tuesdays and Pradosham the evening opening is 3 PM.
- On Fridays and full-moon days the temple stays open 6–9 PM in the evening.
- A battery car, wheelchairs and a thulabharam scale are available; MTC buses from Tambaram, Thiruvanmiyur, Red Hills and Egmore end at Thiruvottiyur bus stand.
Daily Pooja Schedule
5 poojas are performed every day. Times are India time and change on festival days.
8:00 AM
Kalasandhi Pooja
11:30 AM
to 12:30 PM
Uchikala Pooja
5:30 PM
to 6:00 PM
Sayaratchai Pooja
6:30 PM
to 7:00 PM
Arthajama Pooja
8:30 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.
Koodi Deepam
Pooja · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹2
BookAnnai Tamil Archanai
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookArchanai
1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookFestival Special Darshan
Special darshan · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹100
BookCurd rise
Other · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹150
BookSundal
Other · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
₹225
BookKesari
Other · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
₹250
BookPuliyotharai
Other · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
₹300
BookSweet Pongal
Other · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
₹325
BookVadivudaiamman Milk Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
₹350
BookVenpongal
Other · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
₹350
BookVadivudaiamman Abhishekam
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
₹1,500
Book
Upcoming Festival Days
Festival and special-pooja days — some paid sevas are suspended and crowds are larger.
Next festival
Navaratri festival
11 – 20 Oct 2026
October 2026
- Navaratri festival11 – 20 Oct 2026
Gopurams & Temple Tanks
- Brahma Theertham· 6,150 sq ft
Shrines inside
- 27 Natchathira Lingam
- Athepureeswarar
- Thiyagarajaswamy
- Ottriswarar
- Vattaparai Amman
- Gowleeswarar
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
- Prasadam by posttemple
- Parkingtemple out side
- RO drinking waterThiyagarajaswamy Temple Near
- Battery carTemple inside
- Free footwear standFootwear Stand is near in temple Raja Gopuram.
- LibraryLocated inside the temple
- ThulabharamTula Param is situated outside the shrine of the auspicious Vadivudai Amman.
- WheelchairsAmman sannathi
- Golden chariotThe temple is inside golden Ratha Bhavani
- Wooden temple carThe temple outside in Wooden Thershed
- ToiletsInside temple
How to Reach
Theradi Sannathi Street, Thiruvottiyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600019 Get directions
- High Court bus standBus stand11 km
- Chennai CentralRailway station13 km
- Chennai AirportAirport34 km
City bus routes: 134A (Mogappair West – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · 157 (Red Hills – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · 1A (Thiruvottiyur bus stand – Thiruvanmiyur) · 1BNS (Tambaram – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · 28 (Egmore North railway station – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · 28A (Egmore North railway station – Manali New Town) · 56 (Ennore) · 56A (Ennore) · 56C (Broadway – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · C56C (Broadway – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · S1G (Velachery – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · S28 (Thiruvottiyur bus stand – Egmore North railway station) · X134 (Pattabiram – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · S28A (Egmore North railway station – Manali New Town) · X1A (Thiruvottiyur bus stand – Thiruvanmiyur) · Z01B (Tambaram – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · M159 (Thiruverkadu – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · M28D (Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · M56P (Broadway – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · S01G (Velachery – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · M06F (Airport – Pattinapakkam) · X01A (Thiruvanmiyur – Thiruvottiyur bus stand) · SP19EX (Kovalam – Thiruvottiyur bus stand)
History
Through the centuries
Pallava period
Inscriptions of Nandivarman III (victor of Tellaru), Nripatunga and Kampavarman record lamps and gifts of gold — 30 and 100 kalanju — to the Lord, then called Mahadevar.
Parantaka Chola I
Chola-period records of gifts to Mahadevar continue.
1998
Kumbabhishekam on 6 July 1998.
2015
Kumbabhishekam on 22 February 2015.
Further reading
- Thiyagaraja Swamy Thirusthala VaralaruMa. Ki. Ramanan
- Kalvettu Vazhi Ariyalagum ThiruvotriyurS. Krishnamurthy
Temple at a Glance
- Presiding deities
- Two — Adhipureeswarar and Ottreeswarar
- Goddess
- Vadivudai Amman
- Temple tank
- Brahma Theertham
- Rajagopuram
- Five tiers, credited to Thondaiman Chakravarthi
Art & Architecture
Halls, sculptures and paintings worth seeking out inside the temple.
- Ekapada MurtiTemple precinctShiva standing on one leg, a form that shows Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as one.
Customs & Rituals
The untouched Lord
The anthill lingam of Padampakka Nathar stays under a cover and is never touched; abhishekam is done only to the base. It is uncovered for three days after the Karthigai full moon for an oil anointing.
Manicka Thiyagar
When the devotee Elelasingar gave away jewels meant for the king to two pilgrims from Kashi, the Lord himself is said to have handed the king the jewels — hence the name Manicka Thiyagar.
Padma Tandava
Shiva is believed to have danced the Padma Tandava here for Nandi.
Temple Animals & Services
- 6Cows and calvesAs on 15 December 2022Three cows, two calves and a bull calf in the gosala near the Annamalaiyar shrine; their milk is used for poojas and annadanam.
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 Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple timings?
Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple is open 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM; the nadai is closed 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Timings change on festival days.
What is the daily pooja schedule at Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple?
5 poojas are held every day, starting with Kalasandhi Pooja at 8:00 AM and ending with Palliyarai Pooja at 8:30 PM.
How much is the special darshan ticket?
Festival Special Darshan: ₹100. Tickets are sold on the official HR&CE portal and at the temple counter.
Can I book sevas at Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple online?
Yes — 12 sevas, from ₹2, 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.