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The Panchang is the ancient Vedic almanac that tracks five cosmic limbs — Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Karana — for every day of the year. Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists have consulted the Panchang for over 5,000 years to time ceremonies, fasts, travel, and business decisions. Today's Panchang below is calculated for your local timezone using Swiss Ephemeris and the Lahiri ayanamsha.

Today's Panchang

Daily Vedic calendar showing Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, and auspicious timings for your location.

Tuesday, 5 May 2026

Panchang is calculated for today's date at your selected location.

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What is Panchang?

Panchang (meaning "five limbs") is the traditional Vedic calendar system that tracks five daily elements: Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (lunar mansion), Yoga (Sun-Moon angular relationship), Karana (half-Tithi), and Vara (weekday). Panchang is essential for determining auspicious timings (Muhurta) for important activities like ceremonies, travel, and business ventures. Each element carries specific astrological significance that influences daily life.

What Is a Panchang?

The word Panchang combines two Sanskrit roots: pancha (five) and anga (limb). Just as the human body has five senses, the Vedic day has five cosmic coordinates that together describe its character and quality. Priests, scholars, and common householders have used these five elements for millennia to make decisions aligned with the rhythms of the cosmos.

The Panchang is not merely superstition — it is applied astronomy. The Tithi tracks the Moon–Sun angular relationship; the Nakshatra tracks the Moon's position among the 27 asterisms; the Yoga measures a combined luni-solar arc; the Karana halves the Tithi; and the Vara simply names the weekday after its ruling planet (Ravivara for Sunday/Sun, Somavara for Monday/Moon, and so on).

Regional variations exist — Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, and North Indian Panchangs can differ in their new-year start date and month-naming conventions — but the five core elements remain universal across all traditions.

How the Daily Panchang Is Calculated

Every Panchang value is derived from precise planetary ephemeris data. The calculator converts your local time to Universal Time, applies the Lahiri ayanamsha to obtain sidereal longitudes, and then computes each of the five elements:

  • TithiLunar day — derived from the angular difference between Moon and Sun (each 12° = one Tithi).
  • NakshatraMoon's asterism — Moon's sidereal longitude divided by 13°20′.
  • YogaLuni-solar combination — (Sun longitude + Moon longitude) divided by 13°20′, yielding one of 27 Yogas.
  • KaranaHalf-Tithi — each 6° arc between Moon and Sun produces one of 11 Karanas.
  • VaraWeekday planet — calculated from Julian Day Number modulo 7.

The Panchang also calculates inauspicious periods: Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda, and Gulika Kaal — each occupying 1.5 hours of the day, at positions determined by the day's ruling planet in the classical planetary-hour sequence.

Understanding Each Element: Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, Vara

Tithi is the most important Panchang element. The 30 Tithis are named Pratipada through Chaturdashi, with Purnima (Full Moon) and Amavasya (New Moon) completing the cycle. Certain Tithis are universally inauspicious for new beginnings — especially Rikta Tithis (4th, 9th, 14th) — while others like the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, and 13th are generally favourable.

Nakshatra of the day is the Moon's current asterism. Fixed Nakshatras (Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada) are ideal for permanent actions like laying foundations or signing leases. Movable Nakshatras (Swati, Punarvasu, Shravana, Dhanishtha, Shatabhisha) suit travel and trade.

Yoga ranges from highly auspicious (Siddha, Shubha, Amrita, Brahma) to severely inauspicious (Vishkambha, Atiganda, Shoola, Ganda, Vyagha, Vajra, Vyatipata, Parigha). Checking the day's Yoga is essential for muhurta selection.

Karana governs the energy of each half-day. Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, and Vishti (Bhadra) are the seven movable Karanas. Vishti/Bhadra is considered deeply inauspicious — traditional muhurta texts advise avoiding any auspicious action during a Bhadra Karana.

Practical Applications: Using the Panchang Daily

  • Selecting a wedding date (Vivah Muhurta): A wedding muhurta considers Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Lagna. The five most favoured Nakshatras for marriage are Rohini, Mrigashira, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Mula, and Uttara Ashadha.
  • Griha Pravesh (housewarming): The moving-in ceremony requires a waxing Moon (Shukla Paksha), a fixed Nakshatra, and an auspicious Lagna with no malefic planets in the 4th house.
  • Starting a business: A Siddha or Amrita Yoga day with a favourable Tithi and strong Lagna is the classic combination for business launches.
  • Daily worship and fasting: Ekadashi (11th Tithi), Chaturdashi (14th Tithi), and Purnima are the most widely observed fast days across Hindu traditions.

Related Concepts: Muhurta, Hora, and Choghadiya

A Muhurta is any 48-minute period (1/30th of a day). Specific Muhurtas within the day are named — Brahma Muhurta (before sunrise) is considered the most sacred for meditation and study.

Hora divides the day into 24 planetary hours, each ruled by one of the seven classical planets in the Chaldean order. The ruling planet of the first hour after sunrise gives the day its weekday name.

Choghadiya is a simplified Gujarati system that divides the day into eight 90-minute blocks, each rated as auspicious (Amrit, Shubh, Labh, Char) or inauspicious (Rog, Kaal, Udveg). Many businesspeople in western India rely on Choghadiya for quick daily scheduling.

Classical foundation

The Panchang framework is documented in the Vedanga Jyotisha — one of the six auxiliary texts (Vedangas) of the Vedas — which describes the astronomical computation of Tithis and Nakshatras for ritual timing. The Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS) elaborates on the five elements and their interaction for muhurta selection. Muhurta Chintamani by Rama Daivagna is the primary classical text for muhurta, providing detailed rules for selecting auspicious Tithis, Nakshatras, Yogas, and Karanas for specific purposes including marriage, travel, business, and medical procedures. The Rahu Kaal and Yamaganda periods are described in classical muhurta literature as the inauspicious planetary-hour segments that should be avoided for new ventures.

Methodology and accuracy

All Panchang values are computed using Swiss Ephemeris-grade astronomical data with Lahiri ayanamsa correction. Tithi is derived from the exact angular difference between the Moon and Sun in the sidereal frame (each 12° = one Tithi). The Nakshatra is computed from the Moon's sidereal longitude divided by 13°20'. Yoga is computed from the sum of Sun and Moon sidereal longitudes divided by 13°20', yielding one of 27 Yogas. Karana is derived from each 6° arc between Moon and Sun. Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda, and Gulika Kaal are computed from your local sunrise and the classical planetary-hour sequence for each weekday. All computations are tied to your local timezone and geographic coordinates.

Related tools and resources

  • Nakshatra Calculator — find your birth Nakshatra for personal Tarabala
  • Rashi Calculator — your Moon sign for festival and fasting calendar
  • Transit Chart — current planetary positions in the sidereal zodiac
  • Nakshatra — the 27 lunar mansions and their auspicious qualities
  • Rashi — the 12 zodiac signs in Vedic astrology
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Panchang?

Panchang (Sanskrit: पञ्चाङ्ग) literally means 'five limbs'. It is the traditional Vedic almanac that describes five key astronomical elements for each day: Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (Moon's asterism), Yoga (luni-solar combination), Karana (half of a Tithi), and Vara (weekday). Together these five elements determine the auspiciousness of any given moment.

What is a Tithi and why does it matter?

A Tithi is a lunar day defined by a 12° angular separation between the Sun and Moon. There are 30 Tithis in a lunar month — 15 in the waxing (Shukla Paksha) phase and 15 in the waning (Krishna Paksha) phase. Tithis govern fasting, worship, and auspicious timings. For example, Ekadashi (11th Tithi) is a widely observed fast day, while Amavasya (New Moon) and Purnima (Full Moon) carry deep ritual significance.

What is Shubh Muhurat and how is it found?

A Shubh Muhurat is an auspicious time window identified by combining favourable Panchang elements. Traditional Muhurta calculation checks the Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, and Vara simultaneously, then cross-references with the Lagna (rising sign) at that hour. An ideal muhurta avoids inauspicious periods like Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda, and Gulika Kaal — all of which appear in the daily Panchang.

What is the difference between Yoga and Karana in the Panchang?

A Yoga is a luni-solar combination: the sum of the Sun's and Moon's sidereal longitudes divided into 27 equal parts of 13°20′. Yogas range from the highly auspicious Siddha and Shubha to the inauspicious Vishkambha and Vajra. A Karana is half a Tithi (covering a 6° arc between Sun and Moon). There are 11 Karanas — 4 fixed and 7 movable — and each has its own ruling deity and qualities.

What is Rahu Kaal and should I avoid it?

Rahu Kaal is an inauspicious 90-minute period in every day, governed by the shadow planet Rahu. Its timing shifts daily and varies by day of the week. Traditional Vedic practice advises against starting new ventures, signing contracts, or performing auspicious ceremonies during Rahu Kaal — though routine tasks are generally unaffected. The Panchang lists Rahu Kaal alongside Yamaganda and Gulika Kaal for each day.

Want deeper insights from a Vedic astrologer?

Choosing the right muhurta is an art that goes beyond the Panchang. An expert Jyotishi can personalise auspicious timings to your birth chart — for weddings, business launches, travel, and more.

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