Rahu Kaal is a period of about 90 minutes each day that is traditionally considered inauspicious for beginning something new. It comes from the belief that the shadow planet Rahu rules this part of the day. It is widely followed in South and Central India and is shown in every Hindu panchang.
How Rahu Kaal is calculated
Divide the time between sunrise and sunset into 8 equal parts. Rahu Kaal is one of these parts, and which one depends on the weekday. On a day of 12 hours it is 1 hour 30 minutes long, but in summer or winter, or in a different city, it will be longer or shorter.
| Day | Part of the day | Time if sunrise is 6:00 and sunset 18:00 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2nd | 7:30 – 9:00 AM |
| Tuesday | 7th | 3:00 – 4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 5th | 12:00 – 1:30 PM |
| Thursday | 6th | 1:30 – 3:00 PM |
| Friday | 4th | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Saturday | 3rd | 9:00 – 10:30 AM |
| Sunday | 8th | 4:30 – 6:00 PM |
The real times shift with your city's sunrise and sunset, so use our Rahu Kaal page for your city.
What people avoid during Rahu Kaal
- Starting a new business, signing agreements and making big purchases.
- Beginning a journey, a housewarming or an engagement.
- Starting a new puja or yagna (routine daily prayers are fine).
What is fine during Rahu Kaal
- Work that is already in progress can continue.
- Daily prayers, worship of Durga or Shiva, and chanting.
- A journey that has already started does not need to stop.
Yamaganda and Gulika
Two other 90-minute periods are calculated the same way: Yamaganda Kaal (linked with Yama, considered poor for new work) and Gulika Kaal (linked with Saturn's son, said to repeat whatever starts in it, so it is good for things you want repeated, like paying a debt, and not good for others). They fall on different parts of the day for each weekday.
A note on belief
Rahu Kaal is a tradition, not a rule in the Vedas. Followers differ widely. Use it the way your family does, and see it as one input along with Choghadiya and the tithi.
Questions people ask
How long is Rahu Kaal?
About 1 hour 30 minutes on a day of 12 hours. It is one eighth of the time between sunrise and sunset.
Is Rahu Kaal the same for the whole country?
No, it depends on the sunrise and sunset of your city.
Can I travel during Rahu Kaal?
Many people avoid starting a journey in Rahu Kaal, but a journey already begun is fine to continue.
Is Rahu Kaal in the Vedas?
No. It is a later astrological tradition, followed most in South India, Maharashtra and Gujarat.