Kumbabishekam ritual calendar
From 8 to 17 September — the morning and evening rites, timings and venues for each day, as set out in the official HR&CE programme.
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8 September · Aavani 22 · Tuesday
The festival opens
The festival opens with the shanti homam. Vasthu shanti follows in the evening at the Veeravasantharayar Mandapam.
8.30 am – 11.30 am
Aadi Veedhi and Kambathadi Mandapam
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Shanti homam
- Murthi homam
- Samhita homam
- Thirumurai vinnappam
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
6.00 pm – 8.00 pm
- Mangala isai
- Vasthu shanti — worship of the deity of the ground
- Thirumurai vinnappam
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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9 September · Aavani 23 · Wednesday
Sacred water and earth from the Vaigai
Both sessions are held at the Vaigai river — sacred water is drawn in the morning, sacred earth gathered in the evening.
7.00 am – 9.30 am
Vaigai river
- Mangala isai
- Theertha sangrahanam — drawing the sacred water
- Thirumurai vinnappam
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
5.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Vaigai river
- Mangala isai
- Mrit sangrahanam — gathering the sacred earth
- Thirumurai vinnappam
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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10 September · Aavani 24 · Thursday
Mulaipari and the protective thread
The acharyas take the ten-fold purificatory bath at the golden lotus tank; ankurarpanam follows at the main yagasala in the evening.
8.00 am – 10.00 am
- Mangala isai
- Acharya dasavidha snanam — the ten-fold purificatory bath
- Thirumurai vinnappam
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
6.00 pm – 7.15 pm
Main yagasala
- Mangala isai
- Ankurarpanam — sowing the mulaipari seedlings
- Rakshabandhanam — the presiding and temple acharyas are bound with the protective thread
- Thirumurai vinnappam
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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11 September · Aavani 25 · Friday Key day
The yagasala is raised; the first kalam begins
The yagasala is constructed and fire is drawn from the sun. The first of the twelve ritual sessions begins that evening at the Kambathadi Mandapam.
7.00 am – 10.00 am
Yaanai Mahal hundred-pillar hall — the old Kalyana Mandapam yagasala
- Mangala isai
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam
- Agni sangrahanam — drawing fire from the sun for the yagam
- Parivara kalakarshanam
- Raising of the yagasala
- Acharya varanam — formal appointment of the acharyas
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
4.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Mangala isai from 4.00pm; the rites begin at 4.35pm.
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Kumbhalankaram — adorning the sacred pots
- Kalakarshanam — invoking the divine power into the sacred pots
- Entry into the yagasala
- Kadasthapanam — installation of the pots
- First kala velvi
- Poornahuti
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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12 September · Aavani 26 · Saturday
Second and third kalams
The second ritual session in the morning, the third in the evening.
7.00 am – 11.30 am
Mangala isai 7.00, Veda parayanam 7.30, Thirumurai parayanam 8.00, rites from 8.30.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Second kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
4.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Mangala isai 4.00, Veda parayanam 4.30, Thirumurai parayanam 5.00, rites from 5.30.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Third kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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13 September · Aavani 27 · Sunday
Fourth and fifth kalams
A Sunday, and heavier crowds are expected.
7.25 am – 12.00 pm
Mangala isai 7.25, Veda parayanam 8.00, Thirumurai parayanam 8.30, rites from 9.00.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Fourth kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
4.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Mangala isai 4.30, Veda parayanam 5.00, Thirumurai parayanam 5.30, rites from 6.05.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Fifth kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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14 September · Aavani 28 · Monday Key day
Sixth and seventh kalams; purification of the parivara images
In the evening session the parivara deities, beginning with Vinayakar, undergo bimbasuddhi and rakshabandhanam.
7.30 am – 12.00 pm
Mangala isai 7.30, Veda parayanam 8.00, Thirumurai parayanam 8.30, rites from 9.05.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Sixth kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
4.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Mangala isai 4.00, Veda parayanam 4.30, Thirumurai parayanam 5.00, rites from 5.30.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Bimbasuddhi — purification of the parivara images, beginning with Vinayakar
- Rakshabandhanam
- Seventh kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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15 September · Aavani 29 · Tuesday
Eighth and ninth kalams
Two days out from the kumbabishekam; the ritual sessions continue.
7.00 am – 11.30 am
Mangala isai 7.00, Veda parayanam 7.30, Thirumurai parayanam 8.00, rites from 8.30.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Eighth kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
4.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Mangala isai 4.00, Veda parayanam 4.30, Thirumurai parayanam 5.00, rites from 5.30.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Ninth kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
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16 September · Aavani 30 · Wednesday Key day
Maha kumbabishekam of the parivara deities
The parivara deities receive their maha kumbabishekam at 5am. Nadisandhanam follows in the evening, and Lord Subramaniya Swamy of Thirupparankundram arrives in Madurai.
3.35 am – 5.00 am
Parivara yagasala
Mangala isai from 3.35am; rites from 4.00am.
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Tenth kala velvi at the parivara yagasala
- Dravyahuti
- Maha poornahuti of the parivara yagasala
- Deeparadhanai and the procession of the parivara kalasams
5.00 am – 6.00 am
Maha kumbabishekam of the parivara deities
- Maha kumbabishekam of the parivara deities
- Deeparadhanai
- Distribution of prasadam
7.30 am – 11.30 am
Main yagasala
Mangala isai 7.30, Veda parayanam 8.00, Thirumurai parayanam 8.30, rites from 9.05.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Tenth kala velvi at the main yagasala
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
3.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Mangala isai 3.30, Veda parayanam 4.00, Thirumurai parayanam 4.30, rites from 5.00.
- Mangala isai — auspicious music
- Veda parayanam
- Thirumurai parayanam
- Vishesha sandhi
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam — sprinkling of sanctified water
- Eleventh kala velvi
- Bimbasuddhi
- Nadisandhanam — the divine power is channelled into the sacred form
- Sparsahuti
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti — the closing oblation
- Deeparadhanai — the great lamp worship
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
- Lord Subramaniya Swamy of Thirupparankundram arrives in Madurai
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17 September · Aavani 31 · Thursday Key day
Maha Kumbabishekam
The maha kumbabishekam falls in three muhurtham moments — 7.40, 7.55 and 8.10 in the morning. The moolavar maha abhishekam follows in the afternoon and the five deities process along Masi Veedhi at night.
3.35 am – 5.45 am
Mangala isai at 3.35am; rites from 4.00am.
- Vigneshwara pooja
- Punyahavachanam
- Twelfth and final kala velvi
- Dravyahuti
- Poornahuti
- Deeparadhanai
- Yathradanam
- Procession of the sacred kalasams
7.40 am
The golden vimanams and the rajagopurams
- The simultaneous maha kumbabishekam of the golden vimanams and the rajagopurams
7.55 am
Moolavar Sri Meenakshi Amman
- Maha kumbabishekam of the moolavar Sri Meenakshi Amman
8.10 am
Moolavar Sri Sundareswarar
- Maha kumbabishekam of the moolavar Sri Sundareswarar
- Maha deeparadhanai
- Distribution of sacred ash and prasadam
4.00 pm
Moolavar maha abhishekam
- Moolavar maha abhishekam
- Deeparadhanai
7.00 pm
The five deities process along Masi Veedhi
- Procession of the five deities along Masi Veedhi
- Acharya Ejamana Utsavam
- Lord Subramaniya Swamy of Thirupparankundram takes leave
A note on the programme
These timings follow the programme issued by the temple administration. Ritual times can change at short notice; any change will be reflected here and on the live page.
Mandala poojas follow the consecration; those dates will be added here once confirmed.
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