Overview
- The IMD confirmed a total lunar eclipse on March 3 with a magnitude of 1.155, running from 3:20 pm to about 6:48 pm IST, with most Indian regions seeing only the ending phase at moonrise.
- Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams closed its temples for over 10 hours and set darshan to resume at 8:30 pm after purification, cancelling key sevas and suspending VIP and special entry darshan for the day.
- In Uttar Pradesh, the Ram temple in Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi shut for Sutak and planned evening reopening windows, including around 7:15 pm in Varanasi and 8:30–11 pm in Ayodhya.
- Several temples diverged from closures as per tradition, with Srikalahasteeswara in Srikalahasti, Srikanteshwara in Nanjangud, and Vrindavan’s Dwarkadhish remaining open for Grahana Kalabhishekam and other rituals.
- Devotees crowded early for darshan before closures, while regional guidance noted a brief viewing window in Mysuru from about 6:22 pm to 6:47 pm and a planned Chamundeshwari reopening between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm.