Brihadeeswarar Temple (Thanjai Periya Kovil): Aarti & Puja Schedule

• Ushathkalam, the first worship and opening of the sanctumEarly morning (around 6:00 AM)
• Kalasanthi poojaMid-morning (around 8:00 to 9:00 AM)
• Uchikalam pooja before the midday closingNoon (around 12:00 PM)
• Sayarakshai (evening) poojaEarly evening (around 6:00 PM)
• Ardha Jamam, the final worship before closingNight (around 8:00 PM)

As a Shaiva Agama temple, Brihadeeswarar follows the traditional pattern of several timed poojas across the day rather than a single aarti. Worship opens with an early morning service around 6:00 AM, followed by a mid-morning kalasanthi pooja, a noon uchikalam before the midday closing, an evening sayarakshai around dusk, and a final night worship near 8:00 PM before the sanctum shuts. Each involves abhishekam and deeparadhanai to the towering linga.

The evening deeparadhanai is the one most visitors try to catch, when lamps are waved before the deity and the scale of the sanctum feels most alive. Arriving 15 to 20 minutes ahead of a pooja slot gives you a good position without a long wait on ordinary days.

Treat the clock times as approximate. They vary modestly through the year and shift noticeably during festivals and special sponsored abhishekams, so the surest move is to read the notice board at the shrine or ask a priest when you arrive.

Compiled from public sources including Wikipedia: Brihadisvara Temple · Wikipedia: Thanjavur (transport and distances) · UNESCO World Heritage: Great Living Chola Temples · Wikimedia Commons pageimages API (photo). Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.