The five limbs of the panchang
Vara is the weekday, which in the Hindu calendar runs from sunrise to sunrise. Tithi is the lunar day: each one is the time the Moon takes to gain 12 degrees on the Sun, so there are 30 in a lunar month, 15 in the waxing half (Shukla paksha) and 15 in the waning half (Krishna paksha). Nakshatra is the lunar mansion the Moon is passing through. Yoga comes from adding the sidereal longitudes of the Sun and Moon and dividing by 13 degrees 20 minutes. Karana is half a tithi.
What is a hora?
A hora is a planetary hour. The Vedic day runs from sunrise to the next sunrise and holds 24 horas: twelve between sunrise and sunset and twelve between sunset and the next sunrise. Each is ruled by one of the seven visible planets in the Chaldean order, from the slowest to the fastest: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon. The first hora of each day belongs to the weekday's own planet, which is why the days are named as they are: Sunday opens with the Sun's hora, Monday with the Moon's, and so on.
By tradition people pick a hora that suits a task, such as a Mercury hora for study or writing, or a Venus hora for art and friendship. Treat these as cultural customs and a fun way to plan your day, not as rules.
How we calculate it
We compute the Sun and Moon positions with our own astronomy code, find your local sunrise (upper limb, with standard refraction), and read each limb at that moment. End times are found by searching forward for the moment each value changes. Times use your browser's time zone database for the chosen city. Read more in our nakshatra guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a panchang?
A panchang (panchangam) is the Hindu almanac. Its five limbs are the vara (weekday), tithi (lunar day), nakshatra (the Moon's lunar mansion), yoga (a Sun plus Moon combination) and karana (half a tithi).
What is today's tithi?
At sunrise in New Delhi on 26 October 2026 the tithi is Shukla Purnima. Choose your own city above to see the tithi at your sunrise and when it ends.
Why does the panchang change by city?
The day in a panchang starts at local sunrise, and sunrise depends on where you are. The tithi or nakshatra in force at sunrise can therefore differ between cities, even on the same date.
What is Rahu Kaal?
Rahu Kaal is one eighth of the daylight hours, a different eighth on each weekday. By tradition people avoid starting new things in it. We show it for your city from your local sunrise and sunset.
Which ayanamsa does this panchang use?
The nakshatra and yoga use the Lahiri ayanamsa. Tithi and karana depend only on the gap between the Moon and the Sun, so they are the same in every zodiac.
What is the hora today?
Choose your city above. The hora table lists all 24 planetary hours from your local sunrise to the next sunrise, with the hora running now highlighted. The first hora of the day always belongs to the day ruler, such as the Sun on Sunday.
How is the hora calculated?
The time from sunrise to sunset is split into 12 equal day horas, and the time from sunset to the next sunrise into 12 equal night horas. The lords follow the Chaldean order: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon, starting from the lord of the weekday.
Are horas exactly one hour long?
Only at the equinoxes. In summer the day horas are longer than 60 minutes and the night horas shorter, and in winter the other way round, because each half of the day is divided into twelve.
For reflection and fun, not fate. Use the panchang as a cultural calendar; check with your family priest or temple for religious dates.