A panchang (पंचांग, from pancha = five and anga = limb) is the Hindu almanac. It tells you the state of the sky for each day, so that families can choose the right time for puja, fasting, travel and ceremonies. Our home page shows today's panchang for your city.
The five limbs of the panchang
| Limb | What it is | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Tithi | Lunar day. Each time the Moon gets 12° ahead of the Sun, a new tithi starts. | 30 per month |
| Vara | Weekday, from sunrise to the next sunrise. | 7 |
| Nakshatra | The star group the Moon is in. | 27 |
| Yoga | A combination of the Sun's and Moon's positions. | 27 |
| Karana | Half of a tithi. | 11 kinds, 60 per month |
Other things shown in a daily panchang
- Sunrise and sunset, which decide when the Hindu day begins and ends (sunrise to sunrise).
- Moonrise and moonset, needed for Karwa Chauth, Sankashti and Chauth fasts.
- Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika, periods usually avoided for new beginnings.
- Choghadiya and Abhijit Muhurat, which show good and poor times in the day.
- Hindu month, paksha and samvat, so you know where you are in the year.
Why the panchang changes from city to city
Sunrise comes at a different time in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The Hindu day starts at local sunrise, so tithi at sunrise, Rahu Kaal and Choghadiya are all city-specific. The tithi itself ends at the same moment everywhere, but the clock time shifts only with the time zone. For this reason always check your own city.
How to use the panchang every day
- Check the tithi to know if it is a fasting day such as Ekadashi, Pradosh or Sankashti.
- Avoid starting an important task in Rahu Kaal if your family follows this rule.
- For a new beginning, pick Abhijit Muhurat or a good Choghadiya (Amrit, Shubh, Labh).
- For a festival, check the date and muhurat on its own page, because it depends on rules like the tithi at midday or at midnight.
Different traditions in India do not all follow the same panchang. North India mostly uses the Amanta/Purnimanta lunar months, while Tamil Nadu and Kerala use solar months. We follow the commonly used Drik Ganita method with the Lahiri ayanamsa. See how we calculate.
Questions people ask
What are the five parts of a panchang?
Tithi (lunar day), Vara (weekday), Nakshatra (the Moon's star), Yoga (Sun and Moon combination) and Karana (half tithi).
Is the panchang the same for the whole of India?
The tithi, nakshatra, yoga and karana end at the same moment everywhere, but sunrise, Rahu Kaal and Choghadiya depend on your city, and festival dates can differ with local rules.
What does Drik Panchang mean?
Drik means "as seen". A drik panchang is calculated from the real positions of the Sun and Moon, as an astronomer would see them, instead of old fixed tables.