The Panchangam (Sanskrit: Pañcāṅga, meaning "five limbs") is the Hindu almanac — the daily astrological and astronomical guide that has been used for thousands of years to determine auspicious times, plan religious ceremonies, and understand the energy of each day. The word comes from pancha (five) + anga (limb), referring to its five core elements.
Get today's Panchangam — Rahu Kalam, Tithi, Nakshatra and all timings for your exact location
View Today's Panchangam →The 5 Elements (Pancha Anga) Explained
The angular distance between the Sun and Moon divided into 30 parts. Each tithi is approximately 19–26 hours long. There are 15 tithis in each half of the lunar month (Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha), totalling 30 per month.
The day of the week, each governed by a planet: Sunday (Sun), Monday (Moon), Tuesday (Mars), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter), Friday (Venus), Saturday (Saturn). The ruling planet affects the day's character.
The 27 (or 28) lunar mansions through which the Moon travels. Each Nakshatra spans 13°20' of the zodiac. The Moon's daily Nakshatra is the most commonly checked element in South Indian astrology for muhurta selection.
Calculated by adding the longitudes of the Sun and Moon; 27 Yogas in total. Some Yogas like Vishkambha, Atiganda, and Vyatipata are considered inauspicious; others like Siddhi, Shubha, and Amrita are highly auspicious.
Each Tithi is divided into two Karanas (half-tithis). There are 11 Karanas — 4 fixed and 7 movable. Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, and Vishti (Bhadra) are the movable ones. Vishti/Bhadra is considered inauspicious.
Rahu Kalam – The Inauspicious Daily Period
Rahu Kalam is the most widely used inauspicious timing in South Indian Panchangam, especially in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam traditions. It is a 90-minute window each day associated with Rahu, the ascending lunar node. Starting any new activity — travel, signing contracts, marriages, business launches — during Rahu Kalam is traditionally avoided.
Rahu Kalam is calculated by dividing the time between sunrise and sunset into 8 equal parts. The exact part that falls under Rahu Kalam depends on the day of the week:
| Day | Rahu Kalam (Segment of Day) | Approximate Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 8th part (4:30–6:00 PM) | Evening |
| Monday | 2nd part (7:30–9:00 AM) | Morning |
| Tuesday | 7th part (3:00–4:30 PM) | Afternoon |
| Wednesday | 5th part (12:00–1:30 PM) | Midday |
| Thursday | 6th part (1:30–3:00 PM) | Afternoon |
| Friday | 4th part (10:30 AM–12:00 PM) | Late morning |
| Saturday | 3rd part (9:00–10:30 AM) | Morning |
The approximate timings above are for a standard 12-hour day (6 AM to 6 PM sunrise/sunset). In reality, sunrise and sunset vary by location and season, so the exact Rahu Kalam shifts daily. Our app calculates precise Rahu Kalam for your GPS location every day.
Other Inauspicious Timings in Panchangam
- Yamagandam: Another inauspicious 90-minute period associated with Yama, the god of death. Particularly avoided for starting journeys. Shifts each day of the week.
- Gulika Kalam (Gulikai): The period of Gulika (son of Saturn), considered highly inauspicious especially for financial transactions and new beginnings.
- Varjyam: An inauspicious period derived from the daily Nakshatra; avoided particularly for starting new work and travel.
- Dur Muhurtam: Two short inauspicious windows each day based on the weekday, traditionally avoided for religious and auspicious activities.
Auspicious Timings in Panchangam
- Abhijit Muhurta: The most universally auspicious muhurta, occurring around solar noon for approximately 48 minutes. Considered the best window for any auspicious work.
- Brahma Muhurta: The 48-minute period approximately 1.5 hours before sunrise. Ideal for meditation, prayer, and study.
- Amrit Kalam: Auspicious windows derived from the daily Nakshatra, considered highly beneficial for starting new activities.
Telugu Panchangam Tradition
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Panchangam is central to daily Hindu life. The Telugu Panchangam follows the Souramana solar calendar system for festivals while also tracking the lunar tithi cycle. The Telugu New Year (Ugadi) falls on the first day of the Chaitra month (typically March–April) and marks the beginning of a new Panchangam year, each named according to the 60-year Jovian cycle.
Traditional Panchanga Sravanam (listening to the Panchangam reading) takes place on Ugadi day, where a priest reads out the highlights of the coming year — rainfall predictions, crop forecasts, health trends, and astrological forecasts for the nation and individuals.
How Our Panchangam App Calculates
Sripada Astro Panchangam uses the Swiss Ephemeris (Sweph) library — the gold standard for precision astronomical calculations — with Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa, which is the official ayanamsa adopted by the Government of India for Vedic calendar purposes. Key features:
- Calculations based on your precise GPS latitude, longitude, and local time zone
- Accurate sunrise and sunset times (not approximations)
- Tithi, Nakshatra, and Yoga start/end times shown precisely
- Rahu Kalam, Yamagandam, and Gulika Kalam for your exact location
- Available in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and English
- Works entirely on your device — no server calls for calculations
Check today's complete Panchangam for your location — Rahu Kalam, all 5 angas, and auspicious timings
Open Today's Panchangam →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rahu Kalam the same everywhere?
No. Rahu Kalam depends on local sunrise and sunset, so it is different for each location. A person in Chennai and a person in Mumbai will have different Rahu Kalam timings on the same day. Our app uses your device's GPS to calculate the correct local Rahu Kalam.
What is the difference between Tithi and Calendar Date?
The Gregorian calendar date is fixed to the solar cycle (365 days/year). The Hindu Tithi is based on the lunar cycle — the angular distance between Sun and Moon — and does not align with fixed clock hours. A single Tithi can last anywhere from 19 to 26 hours, so on some days two tithis occur within a single Gregorian date.
What language is the Panchangam available in?
Our app provides the Panchangam in Telugu (తెలుగు), Hindi (हिंदी), Tamil (தமிழ்), Malayalam (മലയാളം), Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ), and English. All element names, festival names, and Nakshatra names are displayed in the selected language.
How do I find Muhurta (auspicious time) for an event?
Open the app, check today's Panchangam for the date of your planned event. Look for dates where the Tithi, Nakshatra, and Vara are all considered auspicious for your specific purpose. Avoid Rahu Kalam, Yamagandam, and Gulika Kalam windows. For major events like weddings, consult a qualified Vedic astrologer who can also check the Dasha and transit factors.