How to read the Panchang
The Panchang is the Hindu almanac. Its five limbs describe the quality of the day and are used to pick good times for pujas, travel, a griha pravesh or any new start.
- Tithi: the lunar day, each 12° the Moon gains on the Sun. Fifteen in the bright half (Shukla paksha, ending at Purnima) and fifteen in the dark half (Krishna paksha, ending at Amavasya). Fasts like Ekadashi follow the tithi.
- Nakshatra: which of the 27 lunar mansions the Moon is passing through. It is the most-used limb for muhurta and naming ceremonies.
- Yoga: the combined longitude of the Sun and Moon, in 27 parts. Vyatipata and Vaidhriti are considered the most unfavourable.
- Karana: half of a tithi. Vishti (Bhadra) is avoided for new work.
- Vaara: the weekday, counted from sunrise to sunrise, not midnight.
The day is split into eight parts for Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika, and into eight Choghadiya by day and eight by night. Amrit, Shubh and Labh are good; Char is neutral (good for travel); Udveg, Rog and Kaal are avoided. All times are calculated for the chosen city with the Lahiri ayanamsa.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Panchang?
The Hindu almanac for a day. It has five limbs (pancha anga): tithi (lunar day), vaara (weekday), nakshatra (the Moon's star), yoga (the Sun and Moon together) and karana (half a tithi). It is used to choose good times for ceremonies, travel and new beginnings.
Why does the tithi on the Panchang differ from the calendar date?
A tithi is the time the Moon takes to gain 12° on the Sun, between about 19 and 26 hours, so it rarely lines up with midnight. The Panchang names the tithi running at sunrise and shows when it ends; a tithi can begin and end between two sunrises (kshaya) or cover two sunrises (vriddhi).
Why do timings change with the city?
Sunrise, sunset, Rahu Kaal and the muhurtas depend on where you are. The tithi and nakshatra end at the same moment everywhere, but the clock time changes with the time zone. Pick your city for exact local times.
What is Rahu Kaal?
One eighth of the daytime (sunrise to sunset), about 90 minutes, ruled by Rahu. Its place in the day depends on the weekday. New work is traditionally not started in Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda or Gulika Kaal.
Which ayanamsa and month system do you use?
Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa, as in the Indian national calendar and most Panchangs. Months are shown both ways: Amanta (ending at new moon, used in South and West India) and Purnimanta (ending at full moon, used in North India).