Tiruchendur · Tamil Nadu · Shaiva · Second of the six Arupadai Veedu
Tiruchendur Murugan Temple – Timings, Darshan & Seva Booking
The seashore abode of Murugan, where he defeated Surapadman. Today’s darshan timings, pooja schedule, seva ticket prices and festival days for Tiruchendur Murugan Temple, Tiruchendur, from the official HR&CE temple portal.
Lord Subramaniya (Murugan) with Valli & Deivanai
- 4:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- 8 daily poojas
- Sevas from ₹5
- Temple lodges
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 Tiruchendur Murugan Temple
Tiruchendur Murugan Temple stands right on the shore of the Bay of Bengal and is the second of Lord Murugan’s six sacred abodes, the Arupadai Veedu. It is honoured as the place where Murugan defeated the demon Surapadman, an event re-enacted on the beach every year as Soorasamharam during the Kandha Sashti festival.
Because the sanctum faces the sea, the nine-tier Rajagopuram stands on the west side. Devotees bathe in the sea and at Nazhi Kinaru, a small freshwater well near the shore, and take home vibhuti prasadam wrapped in panneer leaves.
- Seashore temple — one of the six Arupadai Veedu of Murugan
- West Rajagopuram, about 137 ft with nine tiers and 1,392 stucco figures
- Soorasamharam on the beach during Kandha Sashti (Oct–Nov)
- Nazhi Kinaru freshwater well and Valli cave
Temple Timings
Time at the temple (India)
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- Open for darshan
- Pooja
The ring shows the AM (midnight to noon) hours.
Open for darshan
- 4:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Nadai closed
- 9:00 PM – 9:05 PM
- The temple stays open continuously from 4 AM to 9 PM on normal days.
- During Margazhi, Vaikasi Visakam, Thai Poosam and Kandha Sashti the doors open as early as 1–3 AM.
- Temple lodges near the Rajagopuram can be booked online on the official portal.
Daily Pooja Schedule
8 poojas are performed every day. Times are India time and change on festival days.
4:00 AM
Thirukkappu – sanctum opens (sandal-paste alankaram)
5:10 AM
to 5:25 AM
Suprabhatham Pooja (sandal-paste alankaram)
5:30 AM
to 5:35 AM
Vishwaroopa Pooja (sandal-paste alankaram)
8:00 AM
to 8:30 AM
Kalasandhi Pooja (golden kavacham)
12:00 PM
to 12:15 PM
Uchikala Pooja (golden kavacham)
5:00 PM
to 5:15 PM
Sayaratchai Pooja (golden kavacham)
8:45 PM
to 9:00 PM
Palliyarai Pooja (sandal-paste alankaram)
9:00 PM
to 9:05 PM
Thirukkappu – sanctum closes (sandal-paste alankaram)
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.
Astothram Archanai
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookWorship in Tamil
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹5
BookSahasranama Archanai
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
During darshan hours
₹10
BookAbhisheka Pooja
Abhishekam · 1 person per ticket
6:00 AM – 7:00 AM, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
₹1,500
BookGolden Chariot Permission Fee
Chariot · 1 person per ticket
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
₹2,500
BookShanmugar Archanai
Archanai · 1 person per ticket
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
₹5,000
Book
Upcoming Festival Days
Festival and special-pooja days — some paid sevas are suspended and crowds are larger.
Next festival
Pournami (full moon)
25 – 26 Oct 2026
October 2026
November 2026
- Pournami (full moon)25 – 26 Oct 2026
- Kandha Sashti festival4 – 17 Nov 2026
Stay at the Temple
Book a roomRooms run by the temple near the shrine, bookable online.
| Room | Type | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| Gugan Lodge 2 Bed 2 Adults Kids | 2 beds · Non-AC | ₹550 |
| Kantha Vel Lodge 2 Bed 2 Adults Kids | 2 beds · Non-AC | ₹550 |
| Gugan Lodge AC 2 Bed 2 Adults Kids | 2 beds · AC | ₹950 |
| Kantha Vel Lodge AC 2 Bed 2 Adults Kids | 2 beds · AC | ₹950 |
| Kantha Vel AC Suite 3 Bed 3 Adult Kids | 3 beds · AC | ₹1,850 |
| Arumugam Lodge AC 4 Bed 4 Adults | 4 beds · AC | ₹2,050 |
| Jeyanthinathar Lodge AC 4 Bed 4 Adults | 4 beds · AC | ₹2,050 |
| Kumaran Lodge AC 4 Bed 4 Adults Kids | 4 beds · AC | ₹2,050 |
| Senthil Andavar Lodge AC 4 Bed 4 Adults Kids | 4 beds · AC | ₹2,050 |
| Velavan Lodge AC 4 Bed 4 Adults Kids | 4 beds · AC | ₹2,050 |
Gopurams & Temple Tanks
Towers drawn to scale by height; shapes are illustrative.
- Theppakulam· 20,831 sq ft
Shrines inside
- 108 Mahadevar
- Soorasamhaara moorthi
- Metha Dhatchinaamoorthy
- Jeyanthinaathar
- Kumaravidanga perumaan
- Alaivaai ugantha peruman
- Pancha Lingam
- Valli Amman
- Natrajar
- Sandikeswarar
- Vallabai vinayagar
- Sithi vinyagar
- Shanmugar
- Deivannai Amman
- Saneeswarar
- Bairavar
- Venkatachalapathy
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
- Information centreBehind of RajaGopuram
- First-aid centreNear Valli Cave North Gate
- Free footwear standOpposite to Kavadi Mandabam
- Battery carKavadi Mandabam
- Cloak roomWay to Nazhikinaru
- ParkingNear Temple Bus Stand
- Tonsuring (hair offering)Near To Nazhikinaru
- Golden chariotShanmuga Vilasam Sea Shore Area
- WheelchairsOpposite of Rajagopuram
- RO drinking waterFront of Annadhanam Hall, Near to Raja Gopuram
- ToiletsNorth / South Toll Gate , Temple Bus Stand , Tonsure Shed
- ThulabharamNear shanmuga vilasa mandapam
- Prasadam by postTemple Office
- Pilgrim accommodationNear to Rajagopuram
How to Reach
Tiruchendur, Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu 628215 Get directions
- Thoothukudi bus standBus stand40 km
- Temple bus standBus stand0.1 km
- Tiruchendur bus standBus stand1.2 km
- Tiruchendur Government HospitalHospital2 km
- Tiruchendur railway stationRailway station1.5 km
- Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) AirportAirport45 km
History & Legend
Murugan was born from six sparks of Shiva’s third eye to end the demon Surapadman’s rule. Tiruchendur is where he won that battle — and afterwards he worshipped Shiva here in thanks, which is why the image in the sanctum holds a lotus and wears matted hair like a Shiva yogi. The victory is re-enacted on the beach every year as Soorasamharam during Kandha Sashti.
Two famous cures are linked to the temple. The poet Kumaraguruparar could not speak until he was five; his despairing parents walked into the sea here with him, and he burst into song — the 244-line Kandhar Kalivenba. Adi Shankara is said to have been cured of a stomach ailment by the temple’s leaf-wrapped vibhuti, and wrote the Subramanya Bhujangam in thanks.
Through the centuries
Sangam age
Named in Sangam works and the Silappathikaram. Nakkeerar’s Tirumurugatruppadai lists it as the second of Murugan’s six abodes.
875 CE
Pandya king Varaguna gives villagers 1,400 gold coins to supply the temple daily with bananas, jaggery, tender coconut, flowers and incense — double at festival time (inscription in Vatteluttu).
1282
A Pandya grant of land pays for daily worship.
Many names
Thiruchiralaivai and Thiruchendil in Tamil classics, Jayanthipuram in Sanskrit, Tribhuvana Mahadevi Chaturvedimangalam in later Pandya records — the name Tiruchendur is used from the 1500s.
18th century
Marthanda Varma of Travancore endows the first morning service, still called the Udaya Marthanda Kattalai.
19th–20th century
Salt air had eaten into the soft sandstone, so three ascetics — Mouna Swamigal, Kasi Swamigal and Arumuga Swamigal — rebuilt the whole temple in black granite over 72 years. The nine-tier west gopuram, visible from twelve miles out at sea, was consecrated in 1941.
2009
Kumbabhishekam held on 2 July 2009.
Further reading
- Thala Varalaru (history of the temple)Dr N. Kalyanasundaram (1998)
- The Seashore Temple of SubramanyaJ. M. Somasundaram Pillai (1981)
Temple at a Glance
- Abode
- Second of the six Arupadai Veedu
- Facing
- Murugan faces east, towards the sea
- Rajagopuram
- On the west side, nine tiers
- West gopuram gate
- Opened only once a year, at midnight during the Kandha Sashti wedding
- Holy well
- Nazhi Kinaru (Kandha Pushkarini)
- Last Kumbabhishekam
- 2 July 2009
Art & Architecture
Halls, sculptures and paintings worth seeking out inside the temple.
- Soorasamhara MurthyPrakaram · 7 × 5 ftMurugan vanquishing Surapadman, the event at the heart of Tiruchendur.
- The rebuildersFacing the Dakshinamurthy shrineStone portraits of Mouna Swamigal, Kasi Swamigal and Desikamoorthy Swamigal, who led the temple’s rebuilding.
- Pancha LingamBehind the sanctumFive lingams on one pedestal, believed to have been worshipped by Murugan himself — seen through a small doorway.
- Valli CaveShrineA shrine recreating the story of Ganesha, as an elephant, chasing Valli towards Murugan. Women pray here to remove obstacles to marriage and for children.
- Outer prakaramThird prakaramA copper-clad flagstaff, Vallabha Vinayagar, 108 Shiva lingams and a Perumal shrine.
Customs & Rituals
Panneer leaf vibhuti
The prasadam is sacred ash wrapped in a panneer leaf; the leaf’s twelve veins are linked to Murugan’s twelve arms, and the ash is believed to heal.
Nazhi Kinaru
A tiny well, about a foot square and seven feet deep, inside a larger well near the sea — yet its water is fresh. Devotees bathe here free of charge before darshan.
Kandha Sashti
Six days of fasting and prayer in Aippasi (Oct–Nov), ending with Soorasamharam on the beach and the divine wedding.
Prasadam by post
The temple posts a prasadam pack — 100 g of puttamuthu, a leaf of vibhuti and a photo of the Moolavar and Shanmukhar. Call 04639-242221.
Temple Animals & Services
- 1Deivanai, the temple elephantAs on 23 May 2021A female elephant donated in 2006, about 25 years old in 2021, cared for by three mahouts near the Rajagopuram. Please don’t feed her food you bring.
Run by the temple
- Free Siddha hospitalNear Devar Kudil cottage, open 10 AM–5 PM; about 50 people a day are treated free, including herbal remedies such as nilavembu kudineer.
- Free first-aid hospitalOpened on 31 December 2021 close to the beach, north of the temple, with two doctors, two nurses and two assistants.
- Veda Agama schoolA temple-run school for Vedic and Agama studies.
- Arts and Science College, VilathikulamStarted in 2021 under the HR&CE department for rural students.
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 Tiruchendur Murugan Temple timings?
Tiruchendur Murugan Temple is open 4:00 AM – 9:00 PM; the nadai is closed 9:00 PM – 9:05 PM. Timings change on festival days.
What is the daily pooja schedule at Tiruchendur Murugan Temple?
8 poojas are held every day, starting with Thirukkappu – sanctum opens (sandal-paste alankaram) at 4:00 AM and ending with Thirukkappu – sanctum closes (sandal-paste alankaram) at 9:00 PM – 9:05 PM.
Can I book sevas at Tiruchendur Murugan Temple online?
Yes — 6 sevas, from ₹5, can be booked on the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal. Each seva above links to its official booking page.
Does the temple offer accommodation?
Yes, the temple runs 10 room types from ₹550 per day, bookable online.
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.
When was the last Kumbabhishekam at Tiruchendur Murugan Temple?
The latest Kumbabhishekam (re-consecration) of Tiruchendur Murugan Temple was held on 2 July 2009.
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 7 Oct 2026). They change on festival days — please confirm on the official temple page before you travel.