Local favourite temple · Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Ayyappan Temple

Ayyappan Temple is a temple in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is about 17 km by road from Chennai, and St. Thomas Mount (3 km) is the must-see nearby.

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Ayyappan Temple: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this temple: Open, normal crowd · Very crowded today · Festival / special day · Closed today.

Best time to visit Ayyappan Temple

Season: Year-round; festival days and Karthika masam (Nov) draw the biggest crowds.

Busiest days: Mandala season mid-November to mid-January.

Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.

Visiting Ayyappan Temple: timings and tips

Typical hours: Most temples open around 5:30–6 am, close for a few hours in the afternoon (roughly 12:30–4 pm) and stay open until 8–9 pm. Big temples run longer hours on festival days and some close earlier on eclipse days. These are typical for temples in India; hours for this temple are not listed yet. If you know them, post an update.

  • Leave footwear at the stand near the gate (usually free or a few rupees).
  • Wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees; some temples ask men for a dhoti and women for a saree or salwar.
  • Photography is often not allowed inside the shrine, and leather items may be refused.
  • Mornings and the evening aarti are the busiest; weekdays around midday are quietest.

How to reach Ayyappan Temple — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 12.98602, 80.19536. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Ayyappan Temple

See everything within a day’s drive of Ayyappan Temple

Other temples near Ayyappan Temple

All temples in Tamil Nadu

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Frequently asked

What is the best time to visit Ayyappan Temple?

Year-round; festival days and Karthika masam (Nov) draw the biggest crowds. Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

What are the timings of Ayyappan Temple?

Hours for Ayyappan Temple are not published here. Typical for temples in India: Most temples open around 5:30–6 am, close for a few hours in the afternoon (roughly 12:30–4 pm) and stay open until 8–9 pm. Big temples run longer hours on festival days and some close earlier on eclipse days. Check locally before a long trip, or see the latest visitor report on this page.

How far is Ayyappan Temple from Chennai?

Ayyappan Temple is about 17 km by road from Chennai (13 km straight line), 138 km from Tirupati and 144 km from Vellore. Open the road-trip planner on Spotwander for turn-by-turn directions and stops on the way.

What are the places to visit near Ayyappan Temple?

Nearby: St. Thomas Mount (attraction, 3 km), ST. Thomas Mount National Shrine Basilica (church, 3 km), St. Patrick's Church (church, 3 km), Chennai Trade Center (attraction, 4 km), Pallavaram Mountain (park, 5 km), Babuji Memorial Ashram Manapakkam (fort, 5 km).