Sevā-kālam — Divya Prabandham Recitation before Bhagavān
Sevā-kālam is the traditional term for the formal recitation of the Divya Prabandham in a Viṣṇu temple, ordinarily rendered by the Śrī Vaiṣṇava goṣṭhi in Bhagavān's presence. It refers to the Prabandham service itself, not to the six daily Āgamic pūjā periods.
The pāsurams recited, their sequence, and the time of the service follow the temple's inherited practice and the particular day or festival. Taniyans, selected prabandhams, and sARRumuRai may form part of the service according to that context. During Adhyayana Utsavam the sevā-kālam expands into the temple's prescribed large-scale recitation of the Aruḷicceyal.
Tīrtham, Śaṭāri, prasāda, and other honours may be distributed in connection with temple worship, but their distribution is not the definition of sevā-kālam. Likewise, the daily pūjā schedule—such as tiruppaḷḷiyeḻucci, kālaśānti, uccikālam, sāyarakṣai, and ardha-jāma—belongs to the temple's Āgamic service timetable and should be described separately.