Panchang Today

Panchang means five limbs. It is the Vedic almanac that tracks five elements of the day: vara (weekday), tithi (lunar day), nakshatra (lunar mansion), yoga (Sun-Moon combination) and karana (half of a tithi). Together with sunrise, sunset, Rahukalam and the Moon sign, these decide whether the day supports your plans.

• Vara (weekday): each day is ruled by a planet. Sunday (Sun), Monday (Moon), Tuesday (Mars), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter), Friday (Venus), Saturday (Saturn). The Panchang day starts at sunrise.
• Tithi (lunar day): 30 tithis in a lunar month, from Pratipada to Purnima or Amavasya. Some tithis favor beginnings, others do not.
• Nakshatra (lunar mansion): 27 divisions of the Moon path. Each nakshatra has its own character and favored activities.
• Yoga: 27 combinations of Sun and Moon longitudes, plus special muhurta yogas like Sarvartha Siddhi and Dwipushkara.
• Karana: half of a tithi; seven movable and four fixed karanas, each with its own nature.

Rahukalam is a roughly 90-minute period each day, varying by weekday, traditionally avoided for important beginnings. Yamagandam and Gulika Kalam are similar periods. For choosing good time within the day, use choghadiya (eight day and eight night segments) and hora (planetary hours): Amrit, Shubh and Labh choghadiya, and the horas of Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Moon, are preferred.

1. Check the tithi and nakshatra: are they friendly to your plan?
2. Check the vara: the weekday should suit the activity.
3. Note Rahukalam: keep important beginnings outside it.
4. Look for a special yoga: Sarvartha Siddhi or Amrita Siddhi is a green flag; Jwalamukhi is a red flag.
5. Pick your moment with choghadiya or hora.

Our daily Panchang page does all of this for your city automatically.