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. It 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. It 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. It is 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 to pick 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, so 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. It is a 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, though 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. There are six (Vasant, Grishma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemant and 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
