Panchang Glossary
Short, plain-English explanations for every Sanskrit term used across our daily panchang pages.
The five core elements
Tithi#
The Hindu calendar's lunar day — measured by how far the moon has moved from the sun. Festivals are anchored to specific tithis (Ekadashi, Purnima…) rather than fixed Gregorian dates.
Nakshatra#
The lunar mansion (one of 27) the Moon is in. Each carries its own qualities, used to read birth charts and pick auspicious windows.
Yoga#
A sun-moon combination that colours the day's overall character. Two-thirds of the 27 yogas are considered auspicious; nine (Vishkambha, Atiganda, Shula, Ganda, Vyaghata, Vajra, Vyatipata, Parigha, Vaidhriti) call for restraint.
27 sun-moon combinationsUsed in:Day character · Auspicious windowsKarana#
Half a tithi — every lunar day has two karanas in sequence. Useful when you need finer timing than a full tithi offers.
11 types · 2 per tithiUsed in:Fine-grained muhurtaWeekday#
The weekday, each governed by one of seven classical planets — Sunday/Sun, Monday/Moon, and so on. Each day inherits the temperament of its ruling planet.
Moon sign#
The sidereal zodiac sign the Moon occupies at sunrise — shifts roughly every two and a quarter days.
12 signs · ~2.25 days eachUsed in:Mantra · Naming · Daily moodSun sign#
The sidereal zodiac sign the Sun occupies at sunrise — changes once a month at sankranti.
12 signs · ~30 days eachUsed in:Sankranti · Solar calendar
Auspicious time windows
Brahma Muhurta#
The most auspicious ~48 minutes of pre-dawn, ideal for meditation, study, and spiritual practice.
~48 min · pre-dawnUsed in:Meditation · Study · SadhanaAbhijit Muhurta#
A short auspicious window near solar noon, considered favourable for starting any important task.
~24 min · around solar noonUsed in:Important new startsAmrit Kaal#
An especially auspicious window tied to the day's nakshatra. Excellent for new beginnings.
Auspicious combinations of the day#
Auspicious combinations of weekday and nakshatra. When present, they're considered supportive for most work.
Weekday + nakshatra combosUsed in:Important new starts
Inauspicious time windows
Rahu Kaal#
An inauspicious daily window of about 90 minutes, traditionally avoided for starting important new work or travel.
Yamaganda Kaal#
A second inauspicious daily window, similar to Rahu Kaal. Routine work is fine; major beginnings are avoided.
~90 min · once dailyUsed in:Avoid: major decisionsGulika Kaal#
A third inauspicious daily window, traditionally avoided for important decisions or new ventures.
~90 min · once dailyUsed in:Avoid: new ventures · commitmentsVarjyam#
A short window each day that is traditionally avoided for starting important work — derived from the nakshatra.
~96 min · tied to nakshatraUsed in:Avoid: starting important work
Choghadiya windows
Choghadiya#
A timing system used mainly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and North India: eight day windows and eight night windows, each rated good, neutral, or bad. A quick way to pick (or avoid) a slot for an everyday task.
Amrit#
Nectar — the best Choghadiya. Excellent for any important task.
Related:Amrit KaalShubh#
Auspicious — favourable for new starts, ceremonies, and study.
Labh#
Gain — favourable for business, trade, and financial work.
Chal#
Movable — neutral; suited for travel and routine activity.
Udveg#
Restlessness — a tense window. Avoid important work.
Kaal#
Destructive — the most inauspicious window. Avoid all important work.
Rog#
Sickness — avoid important work, especially health-related matters.
Gowri Panchangam windows
Gowri Panchangam#
A South Indian tradition that splits the day and night into eight Gowri windows each — used for picking auspicious slots for everyday work.
Amirdha#
Nectar — the best Gowri window, good for any important start.
Uthi#
Effort — good for work, a new job and professional starts.
Laabam#
Gain — good for trade, business deals and purchases.
Dhanam#
Wealth — good for money matters, savings and investment.
Sugam#
Comfort — good for family events, travel and ceremonies.
Rogam#
Sickness — avoid new work and treatments that can wait.
Soram#
Loss — risk of theft or loss; avoid money matters and travel.
Visham#
Poison — the harshest window; avoid anything important.
Hora planetary hours
Hora#
Each day and night splits into twelve planetary hours, each ruled by a planet. The ruling planet sets the hour's tone — pick an hour whose ruler suits the task.
Sun#
The Sun Hora carries authority, vitality and confidence. It favours dealings with government and superiors, matters of position and reputation, medicine and anything needing leadership — though its intensity makes it less suited to gentle or partnership work.
Moon#
The Moon Hora is soft, fluid and nurturing. It supports travel, dealings with the public, water and liquids, home and family matters, and anything emotional or caring. A favourable, benefic hour for most gentle beginnings.
Mars#
The Mars Hora is energetic, forceful and bold. It suits physical effort, sport and competition, surgery, dealing with land, machinery and tools, and decisive action — but its heat makes it poor for delicate or peace-making work.
Mercury#
The Mercury Hora is quick, clever and communicative. It is excellent for study, writing, accounts and trade, negotiation, signing papers and any work of the intellect or commerce.
Jupiter#
The Jupiter Hora is the most auspicious of all — wise, expansive and benevolent. It is the classic choice for ceremonies, education, finance and investment, spiritual practice, marriage talks and any important new beginning.
Venus#
The Venus Hora is warm, harmonious and pleasure-loving. It favours love and marriage, the arts, music, beauty and luxury, vehicles and jewellery, and anything to do with comfort, romance or celebration.
Saturn#
The Saturn Hora is slow, disciplined and enduring. It suits labour and long-term effort, real estate and construction, dealings in iron, oil and the elderly — but new auspicious ventures are traditionally avoided in it.
Calendar terms
Paksha#
A lunar fortnight. Shukla Paksha brightens from new moon to full moon; Krishna Paksha dims from full moon to new moon. Tithis 1–15 repeat in each.
Lunar month#
A month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Two start conventions co-exist — Amanta begins at new moon, Purnimanta at full moon — so the same month carries two names depending on the region.
~29.5 days · 12 per yearUsed in:Festival dating · Year structureSamvat#
The Hindu calendar year — most commonly Vikram Samvat, which runs roughly 57 years ahead of the Gregorian year (CE 2024 ≈ VS 2081).
Vikram era · ~57 years ahead of CEUsed in:Year referenceRitu (season)#
A traditional Hindu season. Six in total — Vasant, Grishma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemant, Shishir — each spanning two lunar months. Finer than the Western four-season scheme.
6 seasons · 2 months eachUsed in:Seasonal practices · DietAyana#
The sun's half-year direction. Uttarayana runs north-bound (roughly January to July) and is considered auspicious; Dakshinayana runs south-bound (July to January).
6 months each · Uttarayana / DakshinayanaUsed in:Solar half-year referenceDisha Shool#
The direction traditionally avoided for the day's first journey. Set by the weekday.
1 direction per weekdayUsed in:First-journey direction · Travel
