By UJ Pallazzio
Temple administrations across Tamil Nadu have been moving toward mobile-phone restrictions inside major temples for some time, and Arunachaleswarar Temple's rollout date is now set: 1 September 2026. If you're planning a visit or Girivalam around that date, here is what has actually been announced, sourced from the temple administration's own statement as reported by local Tiruvannamalai news outlets on 18 August 2026.
What's changing from 1 September 2026?
From that date, mobile phones cannot be carried inside the temple. This follows the same Tamil Nadu HR&CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) direction being applied to other major, first-grade temples in the state — it is not a rule unique to Arunachaleswarar Temple. Visitors will need to deposit their phone at an authorised counter before entering and collect it afterward.
Where are the phone-deposit counters?
Five counters have been announced, positioned near three of the temple's main entrances:
| Counters | Location |
|---|---|
| 2 counters | Near Raja Gopuram |
| 2 counters | Near Amman Gopuram |
| 1 counter | Near Thirumanjana Gopuram |
- Fee: ₹5 per phone.
- Process: deposit your phone at the counter, receive a token, and show the token to collect your phone after darshan.
- Photography rule (unchanged): photos, videos, selfies and reels have never been permitted inside the temple, at any time — this isn't new, and it doesn't change on 1 September.
How to plan around this if you're staying with us
If you'd rather not carry your phone to the counter at all, our front desk can hold it securely while you're at the temple or on Girivalam — useful if you're heading out for darshan or the full walk and don't want to manage a token alongside everything else. Deciding whether to visit the temple first or start Girivalam first is worth planning before this rule adds one more step at the entrance.
For guests visiting on a Pournami night, our 2026 Girivalam Pournami date guide already covers the busiest dates to plan around — worth checking alongside this new phone rule, since counter queues are likely to be longest on those nights.
Questions about your stay or how to plan a visit around this? Contact us — call or WhatsApp +91 93616 77996 and our front desk can help.
