What a Panchang is

The word Panchang comes from Sanskrit: pancha (five) and anga (limb). The five limbs together describe the quality of any moment in time, so a Panchang tells you what time it is and also what kind of time it is.

In traditional Indian homes the Panchang was read every morning before an important plan was fixed, whether a business meeting, a journey, a wedding or a religious ceremony. Today the same information is a tap away on a phone, so it is easy to fit into an ordinary day.

The five limbs

  • Tithi (lunar day): one of the 30 lunar days in a month, set by the angle between the Sun and the Moon. A Tithi changes each time the Moon gains about 12 degrees on the Sun. The 15 Tithis from Amavasya to Purnima make up the bright half of the month (Shukla paksha), and the 15 from Purnima to Amavasya make up the dark half (Krishna paksha). Purnima (Full Moon, Tithi 15) is widely treated as favourable, and Amavasya (New Moon, Tithi 30) is usually avoided for new beginnings. Whether a Tithi suits a particular task depends on the task, the paksha, the weekday and the Nakshatra, so treat it as one input and not a verdict.
  • Vara (weekday): each weekday has a ruling planet: Sunday (Sun), Monday (Moon), Tuesday (Mars), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter), Friday (Venus), Saturday (Saturn). The ruler colours the day and decides which prayers, remedies and timings go with it.
  • Nakshatra (lunar mansion): the Moon's position among the 27 Nakshatras gives the day its particular quality. Some are often chosen for particular tasks, such as Rohini and Uttara Phalguni for weddings, Pushya for ceremonies and education, and Hasta and Anuradha for starting a business. These are common choices, and the full Muhurat for an event looks at more than the Nakshatra.
  • Yoga: a measure of the Sun and Moon's combined movement, divided into 27 Yogas. Siddhi, Shubha, Shukla and Brahma are auspicious. Vyatipata and Vaidhriti are considered inauspicious and are avoided for important work. A Yoga lasts about a day, with the exact length depending on planetary speeds.
  • Karana: half of a Tithi, lasting about 6 hours. There are 11 Karanas: 4 fixed (Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, Kimstughna) and 7 that repeat (Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, Vishti). Vishti, also called Bhadra, is the one most avoided. Tradition advises against starting something new or signing an agreement during it.

Rahukalam: the daily window to avoid

Rahukalam (or Rahu Kalam) is a stretch of about 90 minutes each day, ruled by Rahu, when new work is traditionally not started. Its timing moves with sunrise and with the weekday. To work it out, divide the time between sunrise and sunset into 8 equal parts. Rahu takes one of those parts, and which one depends on the day of the week.

The timings below assume a 6 am sunrise and 6 pm sunset, so they are approximate:

  • Sunday: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
  • Monday: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
  • Tuesday: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
  • Thursday: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

The Sri Devi Astro Rahu Kaal calculator works out Rahukalam for your own local sunrise.

Abhijit Muhurta: a midday window

Abhijit Muhurta is a short window around local solar noon, when the Sun is at its highest, and it lasts about 48 minutes. Many panchangs list it as generally favourable for ordinary tasks. It is not available every day for every purpose. Most panchangs leave it out on Wednesdays, and it is not used for every ceremony, so for a wedding, a housewarming or a similar event you should use the full Muhurat for that activity.

For routine matters such as a meeting, a call or the start of a piece of work, Abhijit Muhurta is a convenient window to choose if your schedule is flexible. It is easy to remember because it is always around midday.

Using it day to day

You do not need to become a Panchang expert to benefit from it. Here is a simple way to use it for everyday plans:

  • Look at the Tithi and the paksha, and ask whether it is a day for starting something or for finishing and tidying up.
  • Note Rahukalam, and keep contracts, journeys and launches out of that window.
  • If your schedule is flexible, use Abhijit Muhurta for routine tasks, except on Wednesdays.

For a major event such as a wedding, a housewarming or a large purchase, use the activity-specific Muhurat and take your family's tradition into account, since one Nakshatra or one window is not enough. Medical decisions should be made with your doctor, and the Panchang does not replace that. Our Panchang page shows today's Tithi, Nakshatra, Rahukalam and Abhijit Muhurta for your location.