Booking the Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja confuses most first-time pilgrims, because two widely repeated claims about it are simply wrong. The first myth says the ritual runs only during the day’s short Rahu Kalam window. The second insists tickets cannot be bought online at all. Both statements fail against the temple’s own published information, so this guide corrects them and walks you through timings, the five official ticket tiers, and the exact booking route.
Temples Map is an independent pilgrim guide. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the official website of Sri Kalahasteeswara Swamy Vari Devasthanam. We accept no bookings, donations, or payments. Use the official channels linked below for all reservations.
Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja at a Glance
Here are the essentials, drawn from the Devasthanam’s official website. Because temple administrations revise rates and slots without notice, treat every figure as a planning baseline. Confirm details before you travel.
- Ritual name: Rahu Kethu Sarpadosha Nivaarana Puja
- Timings: 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, every day
- Ticket tiers: Rs 500, Rs 750, Rs 1,500, Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000
- Booking: online and at the temple counter
- Duration: roughly 30 to 45 minutes per batch
- Temple: Srikalahasti, Tirupati District, Andhra Pradesh 517644
The temple sits about 36 km from Tirupati, so many devotees combine both visits. Srikalahasti is one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, where Shiva is worshipped as the Vayu Lingam, representing air. That association with the wind element is why the shrine is also called Rahu-Ketu Kshetra.
Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja Timings: The Correction That Matters
The Devasthanam lists this pooja as running from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Batches run continuously through that window. You do not have to squeeze into a 90-minute Rahu Kalam slot, although many devotees still prefer to.
This distinction matters because plenty of guides publish only the day-wise Rahu Kalam table. Pilgrims then read it as the full schedule. Some arrive at noon, assume they have missed the ritual, and leave without performing it. Others travel on a specific weekday purely to catch a narrow window that was never a restriction.
Rahu Kalam Windows: Preferred, Not Compulsory
Rahu Kalam is a daily period traditionally linked to Rahu’s influence. Many devotees consider it the most potent time for this particular ritual, so the halls do fill up then. Still, the pooja itself continues all day.
| Day | Approximate Rahu Kalam |
|---|---|
| Monday | 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM |
| Tuesday | 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM |
| Thursday | 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM |
| Sunday | 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM |
These windows shift slightly with sunrise, so they vary by a few minutes across the year. Check a reliable panchang for your travel date if the timing genuinely matters to you.
Can You Book Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja Online?
Yes. The Devasthanam classifies this ritual as a Pratyaksha Seva, meaning a seva you attend in person, and states plainly that such sevas may be booked online or offline. All five ticket tiers appear on the official seva listing with a booking link attached to each.
Older articles across the web still claim counter-only sales. That was accurate for a stretch after the pandemic, when online seva booking stayed suspended. The state endowments booking system has since restored it, so the blanket “no online booking” line is now out of date.
Booking on the Official Portal
- Go to the Andhra Pradesh endowments booking portal at aptemples.ap.gov.in, or start from the Devasthanam site.
- Sign in or register using your mobile number.
- Open the Pratyaksha Seva section and select Srikalahasti.
- Choose Rahu Kethu Pooja and pick your ticket tier.
- Enter pilgrim details and a valid government photo ID.
- Pay by UPI, card, or net banking, then save the confirmation.
Slot availability is the real constraint here. Amavasya, Purnima, eclipse days and Sravana Mondays sell out early, so book well ahead for those dates. On an ordinary weekday you will often find same-day counter tickets easier.
Booking at the Temple Counter
Counter sales remain fully available and many pilgrims still prefer them. Reach the seva counters early, since queues build sharply after 8:00 AM on weekends. Carry your Aadhaar or another photo ID, because identity verification is standard. The counter issues your ticket along with the pooja materials kit.
Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja Ticket Price
The Devasthanam publishes five tiers for this seva. The ritual performed is the same across all of them. What changes is the hall, the seating, and how close you sit to the priests.
| Ticket | What It Generally Covers |
|---|---|
| Rs 500 | Standard batch seating, pooja kit included |
| Rs 750 | Standard batch, marginally better seating |
| Rs 1,500 | Separate hall, smaller batch |
| Rs 2,500 | Separate hall, closer priest attention |
| Rs 5,000 | Smallest batch, most personal arrangement |
To state the key numbers plainly: tickets for the Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja run from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000, and one ticket generally covers a couple. Rates do change, so verify the current amount on the official portal before you budget.
What Actually Happens During the Pooja
Knowing the sequence removes most of the anxiety first-timers feel. The Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja is straightforward once you see how a batch moves through it.
- You collect your ticket and a kit containing small silver Rahu and Ketu idols with other materials.
- Staff seat devotees in batches by ticket category.
- Priests lead collective chanting and guide each step aloud.
- You make the offerings as instructed, which takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes.
- Afterwards you deposit the serpent idols in the temple hundi.
- Your pooja ticket then allows darshan of the main shrine.
Priests typically give instructions in Telugu first, then repeat them in Tamil and other languages as the batch needs. You will not be left guessing, so relax and follow the person in front of you.
Dress Code and What to Carry
Traditional attire is expected for the Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja. Men usually wear a dhoti or pancha, while women wear a saree or salwar kameez. Footwear is not permitted inside the temple premises.
The Devasthanam also publishes clear conduct guidance. It asks devotees to deposit offerings only in the hundi, to avoid carrying jewellery or cash, and to wait their turn in the queue rather than pushing ahead.
Carry your photo ID, your ticket, and drinking water. Since the ritual involves sitting on the floor for a while, older pilgrims may want a light mat or cushion.
A Practical Health Note
Some devotees observe a fast before this pooja, and queues can mean long spells standing in heat. If you are elderly, pregnant, diabetic, or managing any medical condition, speak to your doctor before fasting. Carry your regular medication and stay hydrated. This ritual is a matter of faith and tradition, so it should never replace medical treatment or professional advice.
Best Days for Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja
The pooja runs every single day, including eclipse days when many other temples close. That eclipse tradition is genuinely distinctive to this shrine.
Days that devotees traditionally favour include Chaturthi, Panchami, Shashti, Purnima, Amavasya, Ashlesha Nakshatram days, and both solar and lunar eclipses. Sundays and Tuesdays draw heavy crowds. If you want a calmer experience, pick an ordinary weekday morning instead.
These preferences come from tradition and devotee practice rather than any official ruling. The temple performs the same ritual regardless of the date you choose.
How to Reach Srikalahasti
Srikalahasti sits roughly 36 km from Tirupati, which makes it an easy half-day trip. Buses run frequently between the two towns throughout the day.
- By train: Srikalahasti (KHT) station is about 3 km from the temple.
- By air: Tirupati airport is the nearest, around 25 km away.
- By road: regular APSRTC buses and taxis connect Tirupati and Chennai.
Many pilgrims pair this with a Tirupati visit. If you are planning both, our guide to Srikalahasthi temple darshan timings covers the daily opening and closing schedule in detail.
Avoiding Touts and Fake Booking Sites
This is where pilgrims lose money, and it deserves more attention than most guides give it. Visitors regularly report brokers around the temple approach who offer to arrange Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja tickets or fast-track entry.
Several warning signs are worth memorising before you arrive:
- Anyone offering to “arrange” a pooja ticket for a premium is not official.
- Your ticket already includes the pooja kit, so you need not buy materials separately.
- Private sites charging a service fee on top of the ticket are not the Devasthanam.
- Genuine online booking happens on the government endowments portal, not on a blog.
The Devasthanam’s own guidance reinforces this, since it asks devotees to place offerings in the hundi alone. If a stranger asks for cash for any part of the ritual, decline and walk to the official counter.
What First-Time Pilgrims Get Wrong
A few practical lessons come up again and again from devotees who have made the trip.
People assume the costliest ticket delivers a different ritual. It does not, because the pooja is identical across tiers and only the seating changes. Choose based on comfort and crowd tolerance rather than any belief about potency.
Another common mistake is arriving without ID. Verification is routine now, so a missing Aadhaar can cost you the slot entirely. Similarly, pilgrims often plan around Rahu Kalam and then find the hall at its most crowded precisely then.
Finally, remember that this ritual is offered as a traditional remedy within Vedic practice. Devotees describe relief and reassurance, yet no temple guarantees outcomes, and honest guides should not either. Related sevas such as Srikalahasthi Rudrabhishekam can be booked on the same visit if you want to spend longer at the shrine.
Before You Go
The Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja is far more accessible than the internet suggests. It runs from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, tickets span Rs 500 to Rs 5,000, and you can book either online or at the counter. Rahu Kalam is a preference rather than a deadline, which frees you to plan sensibly.
Book ahead for Amavasya, Purnima, eclipse days and festival weekends. For a regular weekday, simply arrive early with your ID and buy at the counter. Verify current rates and timings on the official Devasthanam website before you travel, since these details do change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online booking available for Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja?
Yes. The Devasthanam lists this ritual as a Pratyaksha Seva bookable online or offline, and all five ticket tiers carry booking links. Use the Andhra Pradesh endowments portal at aptemples.ap.gov.in. Older articles claiming counter-only sales are out of date.
What are the Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja timings?
The official website lists 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, every day of the week. Batches run continuously through that window. You are not restricted to the Rahu Kalam period, though many devotees prefer it.
How much does the pooja cost?
The Srikalahasti Rahu Ketu Pooja has five official tiers: Rs 500, Rs 750, Rs 1,500, Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000. The ritual itself is identical across all of them. Higher tiers buy smaller batches and better seating, not a different pooja.
Can a single person perform the pooja?
Yes, individuals may perform it, and one ticket generally covers a couple as well. Married couples are traditionally encouraged to sit together. Confirm the current per-ticket allowance at the counter, since arrangements vary by tier.
Do I need my horoscope or gotra details?
No. Priests can perform the ritual without your janma nakshatra or gotra. Bring the details if you have them, because they are used when available. Their absence will not stop the pooja.
Is Rahu Ketu Pooja performed on eclipse days?
Yes, and this is unusual. Srikalahasti stays open during solar and lunar eclipses while many temples close. Devotees traditionally regard eclipse days as especially significant for this particular ritual, so expect heavy crowds.
How long does the pooja take?
Around 30 to 45 minutes for the ritual itself. Add waiting time for your batch to be called, which varies with crowds. Budget two to three hours in total, including darshan afterwards.
What should I wear?
Traditional dress is expected. Men wear a dhoti or pancha, while women wear a saree or salwar kameez. Leave footwear outside, since it is not permitted within the temple premises.
Can I have darshan after the pooja?
Yes. Your pooja ticket allows darshan of the main shrine once the ritual finishes. Devotees deposit the serpent idols in the hundi first, then proceed for darshan of Sri Kalahasteeswara Swamy.