Panchang and Muhurta
The Panchang is an Indian calendar built from five elements, and muhurta is the choice of an auspicious time based on it. It is a living practice: in India the Panchang is used to pick dates for weddings, housewarmings, new ventures and religious festivals.
The default is today's date. Times are in the selected city's time zone. Latitude, longitude and UTC offset are needed only if your city is not on the list; north latitude and east longitude are positive.
Panchang for November 7, 2026 — London
Sunrise 07:04, sunset 16:23 (local time, UTC+0); day length 9 h 19 min.
The five elements at sunrise
| Tithi | Chaturdashi · Krishna until November 8, 05:58; then Amavasya (New Moon) until next sunrise |
|---|---|
| Paksha | Krishna Paksha — waning Moon |
| Nakshatra | Chitra until November 8, 00:22; then Swati until next sunrise |
| Yoga | Priti until 21:57; then Ayushman until next sunrise |
| Karana | Vishti (Bhadra) until 17:35; then Shakuni until November 8, 05:58; then Chatushpada until next sunrise |
| Vara | Shanivara — Saturday, the day of Shani |
| Lunar month | Ashwin |
| Moon sign | Kanya (Virgo) |
| Sun sign | Tula (Libra) |
Day periods
| Rahu Kalam | 09:24 — 10:34 |
| Yamaganda | 12:53 — 14:03 |
| Gulika Kalam | 07:04 — 08:14 |
| Abhijit Muhurta | 11:25 — 12:02 |
Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda and Gulika are eighths of the daylight period that tradition avoids for starting new ventures. Abhijit is the eighth of the fifteen muhurtas of the day, around noon, and is considered auspicious (it is usually not used on Wednesdays).
What it means
- Chaturdashi (until November 8, 05:58): Rikta, "empty": avoided for new beginnings.
- Amavasya (New Moon) (from November 8, 05:58): Amavasya, the new moon: it is avoided for weddings and new beginnings and traditionally kept for rites honoring the ancestors.
- Chitra (until November 8, 00:22): Mridu, “soft”: good for friendship, love, the arts, new clothes and jewelry.
- Swati (from November 8, 00:22): Chara, “movable”: good for travel, change and buying vehicles.
- Traditionally the Priti (until 21:57) yoga is considered favorable.
- Traditionally the Ayushman (from 21:57) yoga is considered favorable.
- Vishti (Bhadra) karana: a time traditionally avoided for beginnings. 07:04 — 17:35.
Month
Month in the Amanta system (new moon to new moon): Ashwin; in the Purnimanta system (from full moon): Kartika. New moon that began the month: October 10, 2026, 16:50. Next one: November 9, 2026, 07:02.
Time and settings
- All five elements are taken at the moment of sunrise, as is customary in panchangs. Times are given in the local time zone (UTC+0).
- Coordinates: 51.51° N, 0.13° W
- Lahiri ayanamsa at sunrise: 24°13′56″.
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The five elements of the Panchang
The name means "five limbs." All five are derived from the positions of the Sun and the Moon, so they can be calculated precisely.
- Tithi: the lunar day of the Indian calendar (not to be confused with the “lunar day” of Russian lunar calendars), the angle between the Moon and the Sun divided by 12 degrees. There are 30 tithis in a lunar month.
- Vara: the day of the week, the same as ours, with the same ruling planets.
- Nakshatra: the lunar mansion the Moon is in.
- Yoga: the sum of the longitudes of the Sun and the Moon divided by 13°20′. There are 27 yogas.
- Karana: half a tithi; there are 11 types.
All of these are real astronomical quantities: they can be calculated to the minute and checked.
Muhurta: choosing the time
Muhurta uses the Panchang to pick an auspicious moment. There are lists of suitable combinations for each type of undertaking: weddings, housewarmings, the start of studies, journeys, haircuts.
There are also periods to avoid: Rahu Kalam (about an hour and a half each day, the time of Rahu), Yamaganda and Gulika. Rahu Kalam is considered unsuitable for starting anything, and in South India this is observed literally: the time is calculated daily and plans are made around it.
Other traditions have similar practices: electional astrology in the West, date selection in the Chinese school, and the Slavic lunar calendar for haircuts and planting.
How the calculator works
The panchang is calculated for the moment of sunrise in the selected city, the way Indian calendars compile it. Sunrise is taken at the upper limb of the disc, with refraction. For each element the calculator shows until what time it lasts and what follows until the next sunrise.
The Sun is calculated with the VSOP87 series and the Moon with Jean Meeus's theory; the error in the end time of a tithi or nakshatra is about a minute. Nakshatra and yoga are in the sidereal zodiac with the Lahiri ayanamsa; tithi and karana do not depend on the ayanamsa. The month is given in two systems: Amanta (from new moon) and Purnimanta (from full moon).
The interpretive part, the lists of auspicious combinations, differs between regional traditions: Tamil, Bengali and North Indian panchangs give different answers for the same day. So the calculator marks only the most general rules: Rahu Kalam, Vishti Karana and "empty" tithis.
An Honest Look at the Method
The astronomical basis of the Panchang is precise and verifiable, which sets it apart from most divination systems. The interpretation, that is, the link between a particular combination and the success of an undertaking, has not been confirmed by any test.
Muhurta does have a practical benefit, and a fairly obvious one: it makes you set a date and prepare for it. The harm begins when something necessary, a medical procedure for example, is postponed while waiting for an auspicious time.