Travel Guide

Tiruchendur Soorasamharam 2026: Date, Timings, Darshan

Tiruchendur Soorasamharam 2026 is on 15 Nov. See Kanda Sashti dates, Shashthi tithi for India and abroad, darshan tickets, fake ticket warning, route and stay.

Aarav Mishra November 5, 2026 · 14 min read

Tiruchendur Soorasamharam 2026: Date, Timings, Darshan

Soorasamharam is the climax of the six day Kanda Sashti festival at the Subramaniya Swamy temple in Tiruchendur, on the Gulf of Mannar coast of Tamil Nadu. In 2026 it falls on Sunday 15 November. This guide gives the full six day calendar, the Shashthi tithi times in India and abroad, what happened on the beach in 2025, darshan and ticket facts, how to reach Tiruchendur, and how to avoid fake ticket sellers. We checked news reports and independent guides up to 5 November 2026. The temple had not published a 2026 hour by hour schedule that we could read, so every timing below is marked as past data or as expected.

Quick Answer: Tiruchendur Soorasamharam 2026

Soorasamharam at Tiruchendur is on Sunday 15 November 2026, the sixth day of Kanda Sashti, which begins on Tuesday 10 November. Thirukalyanam follows on 16 November. In 2025 the beach enactment ran from roughly 4:15 to 6 PM. The 2026 time is not confirmed, so check the temple's announcements.

Item	Tiruchendur 2026	Status
Kanda Sashti begins	Tue 10 Nov 2026	Date reported by several guides, tithi checked by us
Soorasamharam	Sun 15 Nov 2026	Shashthi tithi runs from 11:26 PM on 14 Nov to 2:04 AM on 16 Nov (IST)
Thirukalyanam	Mon 16 Nov 2026	Date reported. Usually very early in the morning
Beach enactment time	Not announced. About 4:15 to 6 PM in 2025	Past year only
Regular temple hours	About 4 AM to 9 PM	From an independent guide, festival days differ
General darshan	Free	Independent guide
Special darshan	100 rupees on regular days	Independent guide, check the official portal
Nearest airport	Thoothukudi	About 40 to 50 km, per an independent guide

What Is Soorasamharam?

Soorasamharam means the destruction of the demon Surapadman by Lord Murugan, also called Subramaniya or Skanda. It is the final day of Skanda Sashti, the festival of the sixth day after the new moon in the Tamil month of Aippasi. Tiruchendur is one of the six Arupadai Veedu of Murugan and is known for the largest public enactment of the battle. The temple stands on the seashore, and Wikipedia describes a seven tier gopuram about 42 metres high.

Pilgrims keep a vow, the viratham, during the six days. Fasting practice varies from fruit and milk to a full fast, and many break it after the battle on the final evening. The Sashti viratham is also kept at many other Murugan temples, and the same Shashthi tithi is observed across India.

Tiruchendur Kanda Sashti 2026 Calendar

The six day festival counts from the Pratipada day. Our tithi check puts the new moon on 9 November and Pratipada at sunrise on 10 November, which matches the published schedules. The ritual detail for each day is from past years, because the temple's 2026 schedule was not available to us.

Day	Date (2026)	Tithi at sunrise (checked by us)	What to expect (past pattern)
1	Tue 10 Nov	Pratipada, ends about 2:02 PM	Opening pujas at the Yagasalai and the kappu kattuthal, the tying of the sacred thread
2	Wed 11 Nov	Dwitiya, ends about 3:56 PM	Daily abhishekam and decoration
3	Thu 12 Nov	Tritiya, ends about 6:12 PM	Daily abhishekam and decoration
4	Fri 13 Nov	Chaturthi, ends about 8:44 PM	Daily abhishekam and decoration
5	Sat 14 Nov	Panchami, ends about 11:26 PM	Last day before the battle. Crowds build in the town
6	Sun 15 Nov	Shashthi, ends 2:04 AM on 16 Nov	Soorasamharam on the seashore in the evening
7	Mon 16 Nov	Saptami, from 2:04 AM to 4:22 AM on 17 Nov	Thirukalyanam, the wedding of Murugan

The days after Thirukalyanam, which in past years include a temple procession and a closing ceremony, were estimated by one guide at 17 to 21 November, but we could not confirm them.

Shashthi Tithi Times in India and Abroad

We calculated the Shashthi tithi with an astronomical library using the Lahiri ayanamsa. Temple and Panchang times can differ by a few minutes. Soorasamharam is held in the evening on the day when Shashthi is present, so devotees abroad can follow it on 15 November India time.

City	Shashthi begins	Shashthi ends
Tiruchendur, Chennai (IST)	Sat 14 Nov, 11:26 PM	Mon 16 Nov, 2:04 AM
London	Sat 14 Nov, 5:56 PM	Sun 15 Nov, 8:34 PM
New York, Toronto	Sat 14 Nov, 12:56 PM	Sun 15 Nov, 3:34 PM
Los Angeles	Sat 14 Nov, 9:56 AM	Sun 15 Nov, 12:34 PM
Dubai	Sat 14 Nov, 9:56 PM	Mon 16 Nov, 12:34 AM
Singapore	Sun 15 Nov, 1:56 AM	Mon 16 Nov, 4:34 AM
Sydney, Melbourne	Sun 15 Nov, 4:56 AM	Mon 16 Nov, 7:34 AM

For the Karthika Masam calendar in the same weeks see our Karthika Masam 2026 guide.

What Happened in 2025: Learn from the Last Edition

In 2025 the festival began on 22 October. Soorasamharam was on the evening of 27 October and Thirukalyanam on 28 October. India TV gave the beach enactment as roughly 4:15 to 6 PM, with a note that the temple's announcements could change it. Organiser reported lakhs of devotees.

Thoothukudi district police blocked vehicles at the town's border points, and devotees walked nearly three kilometres to the venue, according to Organiser. Vehicles had also been restricted a day earlier and people were advised to use public transport.
Hindu Munnani criticised the state government and the HR and CE Department for sudden announcements and gaps in basic facilities, and said the long walk was hard on senior citizens, pregnant women and persons with disabilities.
We do not know whether the same rules apply in 2026. Plan for a long walk and ask your hotel about the entry rules the day before.

Tiruchendur Darshan: Timings, Tickets and Booking

An independent guide lists regular temple hours from about 4 AM to 9 PM, and says festival days such as Kanda Sashti can start as early as 1 AM. It is not an official site, and the temple's portal is the place to confirm. The same guide lists the following.

Service	Price (as listed)	Note
General darshan	Free	Queue length depends on the day
Special darshan	100 rupees	On regular days. Festival rules may differ
Abhishekam	1,500 rupees	A ritual service, not a queue shortcut
Golden car seva	2,500 rupees	Ritual service
Shanmugar archanai	5,000 rupees	Ritual service

Online Booking

Reports say online booking for darshan, abhishekam and special pujas became available through the HR and CE department's portal in June 2025, and that a break darshan system modelled on Tirumala was planned for Palani, Tiruchendur and Tiruvannamalai. Carry a photo ID and a copy of the ticket. We could not open the temple's own site from here, so check the current ticket list and any festival day rules there.

Fake Tickets: What the High Court Said

In August 2025 the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took up complaints that unauthorised people were selling special darshan tickets at the temple, and directed criminal action against those involved. It asked the HR and CE Department and the police to stop the unauthorised ticketing on the premises.

Buy tickets only from the temple's counters or the official online portal.
Do not pay a stranger inside the temple for a faster line.
Do not pay a social media page or a WhatsApp number for a Soorasamharam pass.
We do not sell darshan tickets or passes.

How to Reach Tiruchendur

Tiruchendur is a coastal town in Thoothukudi district. It has its own railway station. An independent guide names Thoothukudi Airport as the nearest practical airport at about 40 to 50 km, with Madurai Airport as an alternative. Buses and taxis connect the town to Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Nagercoil and Kanyakumari.

From	Route	Note
Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai	Fly to Thoothukudi or Madurai, then road	Book early, since flights to Thoothukudi are few
Tirunelveli, Madurai, Kanyakumari	Bus, train or taxi to Tiruchendur	Roads near the town can be restricted on the final days
Abroad	Fly to Chennai or another Indian airport, then connect	Check visa rules before you book

Our cab service, intercity cab and airport pickup can arrange the road from Thoothukudi or Madurai. Do not plan to drive into the town on 15 November. Park outside and use public transport or walk.

Where to Stay

Tiruchendur is small, and rooms fill early for Kanda Sashti. We found no official accommodation list. One lodge in the town advertised a seven night package for 9 to 16 November 2026 at 20,000 rupees for a double room for the whole stay. Treat it as an example of how steep festival pricing can be, and confirm tax, deposit and cancellation terms in writing before you pay. Staying in Thoothukudi or Tirunelveli and travelling in is an option for the days before the final day, but road restrictions on 15 November can make the return hard.

Use our hotel booking help to compare rooms.

A Practical Plan for Soorasamharam Day

Reach Tiruchendur on 13 or 14 November. Do not arrive on the final day.
Stay within walking distance of the temple if you can, since vehicle entry may be blocked.
Visit the temple for darshan on an earlier day, not on 15 November.
On 15 November keep water, a hat and a meeting point. The seashore is open and exposed.
Follow police barriers. Keep children and elders with a named adult.
Plan the return for the next morning, since roads can be slow after the evening.

What to Carry

Modest traditional clothing, as an independent guide lists: veshti or kurta for men, saree or salwar for women.
Comfortable footwear that is easy to remove.
Water, a power bank and some cash.
A photo ID and a copy of your ticket.

If You Cannot Travel

Television channels in Tamil Nadu have shown the event live in past years. We have not confirmed 2026 broadcast plans. You can also observe the viratham at home or at a local Murugan temple.

Plan Your South India Trip with Your Travel Partner

Your Travel Partner is a travel company based in Ayodhya that arranges trips across India for visitors from every state and from other countries. For Tiruchendur we plan the road and the stay around the festival.

Airport or railway pickup: airport and railway.
A cab to Tiruchendur with a fixed return time: cab.
Rooms in Tiruchendur, Thoothukudi or Madurai: hotel booking.
Tiruchendur with other Murugan temples as a custom package.
Send your dates, city and group size on WhatsApp or the enquiry form.

Visitors from abroad can read how we handle everything after you land. We do not sell darshan tickets or Soorasamharam passes. See the packages page, our reviews, about us and the cancellation policy.

Common Mistakes

Planning to drive into Tiruchendur on the final day.
Arriving on 15 November without a room.
Paying a stranger for a faster darshan.
Assuming the 2025 beach timing repeats in 2026.
Forgetting that Thirukalyanam is on 16 November, usually very early in the morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Soorasamharam 2026 at Tiruchendur?

Sunday 15 November 2026, the sixth day of Kanda Sashti. Shashthi tithi runs from 11:26 PM on 14 November to 2:04 AM on 16 November IST.

When does Kanda Sashti 2026 begin?

Tuesday 10 November 2026, the Pratipada day. The six day vow ends on Soorasamharam.

What time is Soorasamharam at Tiruchendur?

The 2026 time is not announced. In 2025 the beach enactment ran from roughly 4:15 to 6 PM, per India TV.

When is Thirukalyanam 2026?

Monday 16 November 2026, the day after Soorasamharam. It is usually held very early in the morning.

What are the Tiruchendur temple timings?

An independent guide lists about 4 AM to 9 PM on regular days, and an earlier opening on festival days. Confirm on the official portal.

Is darshan free at Tiruchendur?

General darshan is free. Special darshan was listed at 100 rupees. Festival day rules may differ.

How do I book Tiruchendur darshan online?

Through the HR and CE department's official portal. Carry a photo ID and a copy of the ticket.

Are there fake darshan tickets at Tiruchendur?

In August 2025 the Madras High Court directed action against unauthorised sellers of special darshan tickets. Buy only from official channels.

Can I drive to the temple on Soorasamharam day?

In 2025 police blocked vehicles at border points and people walked nearly three kilometres. Ask about the 2026 rules the day before.

Which is the nearest railway station and airport?

Tiruchendur has its own railway station. Thoothukudi is the nearest airport, about 40 to 50 km away, with Madurai as an alternative.

Should I stay in Tiruchendur or a nearby city?

Stay in Tiruchendur if you can, since roads may be restricted on the final day. Book early because rooms are limited.

What is the viratham and how long is it?

It is the six day vow of Kanda Sashti, with fasting that varies from fruit and milk to a full fast, broken after Soorasamharam.

What is the Shashthi tithi time for people abroad?

For New York it runs from 12:56 PM on 14 November to 3:34 PM on 15 November. See the city table above.

Is Soorasamharam observed only at Tiruchendur?

No. Many Murugan temples observe Skanda Sashti, but Tiruchendur is known for the large seashore enactment.

Can Your Travel Partner arrange my Tiruchendur trip?

Yes. We arrange cabs, pickups and hotels in Tamil Nadu. We do not sell darshan tickets or passes.

Conclusion

Soorasamharam at Tiruchendur is on Sunday 15 November 2026, with Kanda Sashti starting on 10 November and Thirukalyanam on 16 November. The beach time is not announced, vehicle entry may be restricted, and fake tickets are a known problem. Reach early, book a room now, and buy tickets only from official channels. For cabs, hotels and a South India plan, message us on WhatsApp.

Sources

Aarav Mishra Verified Author

Travel Writer · Your Travel Partner

Ayodhya-based travel writer and Ministry of Tourism (India) certified guide. 12+ years guiding pilgrims across the Ayodhya–Varanasi–Prayagraj Holy Triangle. Every guide is fact-checked against current temple timings and local transport before publishing.