Morning: arrive early
Reach the temple before it opens at 5:30 AM. If you plan the Rahu Ketu Pooja, go straight to the pooja counter when it opens at 6:00 AM, or time your arrival for that day's Rahu Kalam. For a quieter start, join one of the abhishekam slots listed on the Darshan page.
Midday: darshan and lunch
After the pooja, take darshan of Lord Kalahasteeswara and Goddess Gnana Prasunambika. Simple vegetarian meals are easy to find near the temple, so keep lunch light before an afternoon of walking.
Afternoon: river, hill and crafts
Walk along the Swarnamukhi river, then visit the shrines on the hill behind the temple if your energy allows. Finish with a stop at a Kalamkari workshop to watch artists draw by hand.
Evening: Pradosha and onward travel
A Pradosha abhishekam is held at 5:00 PM on most days and at 4:00 PM on Fridays. Afterwards you can drive 38 km to Tirupati for the night or head home.
Sample timeline
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 5:00 AM | Arrive and join the queue |
| 6:00 AM | Pooja counters open |
| 9:00 AM | Darshan and prasadam |
| 12:30 PM | Simple vegetarian lunch |
| 3:00 PM | River walk and Kalamkari workshop |
| 5:00 PM | Pradosha abhishekam |
| 6:30 PM | Leave for Tirupati or home |
Srikalahasti Temple at a glance
- Darshan: 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM (Sat to Mon), 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM (Tue to Fri)
- Rahu Ketu Pooja: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily, tickets ₹500 to ₹5,000
- Booking: AP Temples portal or the temple counters
- Distance: about 38 km from Tirupati and 110 km from Chennai
- Languages: English, Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam