Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Puducherry
White Town, Puducherry (Pondicherry) · Lord Ganesha (Vinayagar) as Manakula Vinayagar, facing east towards the sea
The Ganesha shrine that outlived French rule: a gold-roofed sanctum a few streets from the Bay of Bengal, where Puducherry starts every new venture.
Manakula Vinayagar is Puducherry's best-known temple, a compact Ganesha shrine about 400 m from the Bay of Bengal in the old French quarter. The temple says it existed before the French settled here (before 1666) and survived repeated attempts by the colonial authorities and missionaries to close it. Today it has a gold-plated vimanam (tower over the sanctum), an 18-ft gold-plated flagstaff, a golden chariot pulled inside the temple by devotees, and a 24-day Brahmotsavam every August–September.
Timings
- Darshan (official): 5:45 AM – 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM daily
- Note: Timings change on festival days and holidays.
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
- Special entrance – ₹30 per head (temple fee list w.e.f. 01.08.2019)
Sevas and costs
- Archanai – ₹10 (During darshan hours)
- Sahasranama Archanai – ₹250 (During darshan hours)
- Moolavar Abishegam – ₹1,000 (6:30 AM daily; 11 AM Monday–Thursday)
- Sandhana Kappu – ₹1,500 (On booking)
- Silver Chariot (Urchavar) – ₹1,600 (On booking)
- Golden Chariot (Urchavar) – ₹2,000 (Evenings, on booking)
- Moolavar – American Diamond Kavasam – ₹1,500 (On booking)
- Moolavar – Navarathna Kavasam – ₹1,600 (On booking)
- Moolavar – Gold Kavasam – ₹5,000 (On booking)
- Vennai Kappu – ₹3,500 (On booking)
- Ganapathy Homam – ₹4,500 (On booking)
- Thirukalyana Urchavam – ₹5,000 (On booking)
- 108 Sangabishegam – ₹7,500 (On booking)
- Annadhanam (one serving) – ₹1,500 (Prasadam distributed at 7:45 AM, 11 AM and 5:30 PM)
- Special Annadhanam (ubayam) – ₹11,000 per day (Thursday–Sunday, lunch for 160 devotees)
How to book darshan
There is no online seva booking. Book poojas and abhishekams at the temple office by 6 PM the day before (locals) or three days ahead (outstation). From abroad or outside Puducherry, pay by bank transfer and email the details (name, address, phone, date of pooja, amount, payment date) to the temple.
Dress code
No formal dress code is published by the temple; wear modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees.
Best time to visit
Early morning (6–8 AM) on a weekday. October–March has the most pleasant weather; the 24-day Brahmotsavam (Aug–Sep) and Vinayaka Chaturthi are the festive peaks.
How to reach
- air: Puducherry airport has limited flights; Chennai International Airport is about 150 km (3–3.5 hours) by road.
- rail: Puducherry railway station is about 1.5 km away (branch line from Villupuram, 35 km).
- road: Puducherry is about 165 km south of Chennai by the East Coast Road (ECR) or NH 32. The temple is in White Town, about a 10-minute walk from Promenade (Beach Road).
Festivals
- Brahmotsavam – August–September (24 days)
- Vinayaka Chaturthi – August/September
- Vijayadasami golden chariot – September/October
- Pavitra Utsavam – October (7 days)
- Kandasashti, Karthigai Deepam – November
- Masi Magam sea procession – February/March