Why does the panchang differ between two cities on the same date?

Every element is tied to local sunrise and to the Moon's position at that moment. Sunrise differs with longitude and latitude, so tithi and nakshatra transitions fall at different clock times, and Rahu Kalam shifts with the length of the day.

What is the difference between a tithi and a calendar date?

A calendar date is a fixed 24 hours. A tithi is an astronomical interval of about 19 to 26 hours defined by the angle between the Sun and Moon, so it drifts against the civil date and may start or end at any hour.

Should I avoid all work during Rahu Kalam?

Tradition advises against starting something new — a journey, a purchase, a signing. Ongoing work, routine activity and anything already under way are not affected. Many practitioners treat it as a guideline for beginnings rather than a prohibition.

Which ayanamsa do these calculations use?

Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) by default, the standard used by the Indian calendar reform committee and most published panchangs. Positions are computed with the Swiss Ephemeris rather than interpolated from a printed table.

What is Abhijit Muhurta?

Abhijit is a short auspicious window around local solar noon, roughly 24 minutes on either side. It is regarded as generally favourable for beginnings on most days, and is often used when no other suitable muhurta is available.

Hindu almanac · Daily timings

Today's Panchang

Complete daily almanac with Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, and auspicious timings for any date and place.

Select Location

Type a city and pick a suggestion, or click Detect.

Select Date

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Select a location to view the Panchang

Panchang (5 Limbs)

Enter location and click "Get Panchang" to view details

Muhurat (Auspicious Times)

Inauspicious Times (Avoid)

Sun & Moon

Moon Phase

Select a date to see the Moon’s phase.

Special Events

No special events today

Quick Links

Daily Horoscope Birth Chart Kundali Matching

Monthly Calendar

Understanding the Panchang

The five limbs of the Hindu almanac

Panchang literally means "five limbs" — pancha (five) and anga (limb). Each limb is a distinct astronomical measurement taken for a specific place and moment, and together they describe the quality of a day. Because every limb is derived from the actual positions of the Sun and Moon rather than from a fixed calendar, a panchang is always local: the same date reads differently in Delhi and in Chennai.

Tithi — the lunar day

A tithi is the time the Moon takes to gain 12 degrees of longitude on the Sun. Thirty tithis make one lunar month, split into the waxing fortnight (shukla paksha) and the waning fortnight (krishna paksha).

Because the Moon travels at an uneven speed, a tithi is not a fixed length. It can run from roughly 19 to 26 hours, which is why a tithi rarely lines up with a calendar day and may occasionally be skipped or repeated.

Nakshatra — the lunar mansion

The zodiac is divided into 27 nakshatras of 13°20' each. The nakshatra of the day is the one the Moon occupies, and it is the single most important factor in choosing an auspicious time.

Each nakshatra has a ruling planet and a traditional character — some favour beginnings and travel, others rest, repair or completion. Your own janma nakshatra, the one the Moon occupied at your birth, anchors the Vimshottari dasha system.

Yoga — the Sun–Moon sum

Yoga is calculated from the combined longitudes of the Sun and Moon, divided into 27 parts. It is not the same as the yogas found in a birth chart. Some, such as Siddha and Amrita, are considered favourable; others, such as Vyatipata and Vaidhriti, are traditionally avoided for new undertakings.

Karana — the half-tithi

Each tithi divides into two karanas, so there are sixty in a lunar month drawn from eleven names. Four are fixed and occur once per month; the remaining seven repeat in rotation. Karana is consulted mainly for short, practical undertakings.

Vara — the weekday

The vara is the weekday, each ruled by a planet: Sunday by the Sun, Monday the Moon, Tuesday Mars, Wednesday Mercury, Thursday Jupiter, Friday Venus and Saturday Saturn. In Vedic reckoning the day begins at sunrise, not midnight, so the vara changes at dawn.

Rahu Kalam and the inauspicious windows

Beyond the five limbs, a panchang marks periods traditionally avoided for new work: Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda and Gulika Kalam. Each is one-eighth of the day between sunrise and sunset, so their clock times shift through the year with day length, and differ by location.

Weekday rulers and their Rahu Kalam segment

The daylight period from sunrise to sunset is divided into eight equal parts. Rahu Kalam falls on a different segment each weekday, so its clock time changes daily and by place — the times shown by the tool above are calculated for the location you select, not taken from a fixed table.

Weekday	Ruling planet	Rahu Kalam segment
Sunday	Sun	8th of 8
Monday	Moon	2nd of 8
Tuesday	Mars	7th of 8
Wednesday	Mercury	5th of 8
Thursday	Jupiter	6th of 8
Friday	Venus	4th of 8
Saturday	Saturn	3rd of 8

Common questions

Why does the panchang differ between two cities on the same date?: Every element is tied to local sunrise and to the Moon's position at that moment. Sunrise differs with longitude and latitude, so tithi and nakshatra transitions fall at different clock times, and Rahu Kalam shifts with the length of the day.
What is the difference between a tithi and a calendar date?: A calendar date is a fixed 24 hours. A tithi is an astronomical interval of about 19 to 26 hours defined by the angle between the Sun and Moon, so it drifts against the civil date and may start or end at any hour.
Should I avoid all work during Rahu Kalam?: Tradition advises against starting something new — a journey, a purchase, a signing. Ongoing work, routine activity and anything already under way are not affected. Many practitioners treat it as a guideline for beginnings rather than a prohibition.
Which ayanamsa do these calculations use?: Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) by default, the standard used by the Indian calendar reform committee and most published panchangs. Positions are computed with the Swiss Ephemeris rather than interpolated from a printed table.
What is Abhijit Muhurta?: Abhijit is a short auspicious window around local solar noon, roughly 24 minutes on either side. It is regarded as generally favourable for beginnings on most days, and is often used when no other suitable muhurta is available.