Dainik Panchang uses the Drik Ganita method, which means timings come from the actual sky and not from old fixed tables.
The inputs
- Sun and Moon positions: worked out with standard astronomical formulas (VSOP87 for the Sun and the ELP lunar series for the Moon).
- Ayanamsa: Lahiri (Chitrapaksha), the standard used by the Government of India.
- Sunrise and sunset: when the upper edge of the Sun touches the horizon, with normal refraction, for your city's latitude and longitude.
- Time zone: your city's local time, so the page shows clock times you can use directly.
How each part is found
- Tithi: every 12° the Moon gains on the Sun. We find the exact moment the difference crosses each multiple of 12°.
- Nakshatra: the Moon's sidereal longitude divided into 27 parts of 13°20′.
- Yoga: the sum of the Sun's and Moon's sidereal longitudes in 13°20′ parts.
- Karana: half a tithi (6° of Moon-Sun difference).
- Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda, Gulika: one eighth of the day between sunrise and sunset, chosen by the weekday.
- Choghadiya: the day and the night each divided into eight parts, in the traditional order of the weekday.
- Abhijit Muhurat: the eighth of fifteen muhurtas of the day, centred on local noon.
The Hindu day
The Hindu day runs from one sunrise to the next. A tithi that ends after midnight is shown with the date on which the day started. Both Amanta and Purnimanta month names are shown, along with the Vikram and Shaka samvat.
Festival dates
Each festival follows the classical rule for its tithi: the tithi at sunrise (udaya), in the morning (purvahna), at midday (madhyahna), in the afternoon (aparahna), in the evening (pradosh), at midnight (nishita), at sunset or at moonrise. For some festivals, we also take Bhadra and the lagna into account (for example Raksha Bandhan and Diwali). The rule used is written on each festival page. Ekadashi dates follow the Smarta tradition.
Accuracy
We test our tithi, nakshatra, yoga and sunrise results against well-known published Drik panchang timings for many cities and dates. They agree to the minute in our checks. Small differences of a minute can still occur because different panchangs round or calibrate differently. For the festival dates, the date can differ from other sources when they follow a different tradition or sampradaya.
Limits
- Bengali Durga Puja timings (Sandhi Puja) and South Indian solar-calendar festivals such as Pongal, Onam and Vishu are not yet covered in full.
- For cities outside India, we use the local time zone, but festival rules follow the Indian tradition.
- For weddings, griha pravesh and other sanskars, always ask a priest, because the lagna and family traditions matter.