Devotees will not be allowed entry into the shrine of Lord Venkateswara at nearby Tirumala for about 17 hours from 5 p.m. tomorrow to 10 a.m. on Friday on account of lunar eclipse,temple sources said. They said the shrine would be closed an hour before sunset tomorrow and opened early on Friday. The priests would then conduct 'cleansing' of the ancient shrine,followed by pre-dawn rituals,including recitation of Suprabatham and Archana rituals. Pilgrims would be allowed to have a darshan of the Lord only after 10 a.m. on Friday,they said. According to the TTD almanac,the lunar eclipse would take place from 1.22 a.m. to 1.55 a.m. (a few minutes in small hours) on Friday,they added.
