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Rahu Kaal
11:53 – 13:12
Avoid this window when starting something new.
Local time · Varanasi
Budhavara · Margashirsha · Shukla Paksha
बुधवार · मार्गशीर्ष · शुक्ल पक्ष
Waxing Crescent
Sunrise 06:37 — Sunset 17:09 · day 10h 32m
≈ 38% illuminated · increasing
Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana and Vara with their end-times, plus the month and the Moon’s and Sun’s signs — computed for this city’s sunrise. Times after midnight use the traditional extended clock (e.g. 27:23 = 03:23 next morning).
The lunar day. It is set by how far the Moon has pulled ahead of the Sun — each 12 degrees of separation is one tithi. The tithi shapes which activities the tradition favours, and it ends at the time shown, when the next one begins.
Every time on this page is calculated from the actual positions of the Sun and Moon using the Swiss Ephemeris (the same high-precision astronomical engine used by professional astronomers), not from a printed almanac or a fixed table.
Significance and auspicious/inauspicious flags are drawn from classical texts (Muhurta Chintamani, Brihat Samhita, the Puranas and others) and cited inline — we never assert an effect a text does not state.
Pick your birth star and Moon-sign once — we’ll read today’s Tarabala and Chandrabala for you. Saved on this device only; never sent to our servers.
Pick what you’re planning. We check today’s panchang against the classical muhurta rule and show you the verdict, the best window, and the source.
| Window | Start | End | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahu Kala | 11:53 | 13:12 | inauspicious |
| Yamaghanda Kala | 13:12 | 14:31 | inauspicious |
| Gulika Kala | 10:34 | 11:53 | inauspicious |
Brahma Muhurta
ब्रह्म मुहूर्त
05:01 – 05:49
Pratah Sandhya
प्रातः सन्ध्या
05:32 – 06:37
Vijaya Muhurta
विजय मुहूर्त
13:38 – 14:21
Godhuli Muhurta
गोधूलि मुहूर्त
16:57 – 17:21
Sayahna Sandhya
सायाह्न सन्ध्या
17:09 – 18:14
Nishita Muhurta
निशीथ मुहूर्त
23:29 – 24:17
Amrita Kalam
Panchak active: Raja Panchak (onset-weekday flavour)
Varjyam
वर्ज्यम्
19:44 – 21:28
The nakshatra-derived window the classics flag to avoid.
Dur Muhurtam 8
दुर्मुहूर्तम्
11:32 – 12:14
Weekday-keyed inauspicious sub-muhurta.
Source: Muhurta Chintamani; Dharma Sindhu. Sub-window arithmetic from sunrise + nakshatra position.
Surya Rashi
Vrishchika#8
Surya Nakshatra
Jyeshtha ज्येष्ठा
Pada 4 of 4 · ends 10:24
Moon Pada Transitions Today
Source: Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) sidereal ephemeris. Pada arithmetic from nakshatra division into 4 equal arcs of 3° 20′ each.
Shaka Samvat
1948
Kilaka कीलक
Gujarati Samvat
2082
Vishvavasu विश्वावसु
| Position | Deity |
|---|---|
| Raja | Jupiter |
| Sasyadhipati | Jupiter |
Disha Shool
North उत्तर
avoid
Source: Avoid travel toward this direction today
Nakshatra Shool
South दक्षिण
avoid
Source: Avoid travel toward this direction while today's nakshatra prevails
Chandra Vasa
West पश्चिम
favourable
Source: Direction favored by today's moon position
Rahu Vasa
Tamil Yoga
Mushala मुसल
inauspicious
Source: Inauspicious Tamil yoga -- avoid new ventures
Favourable Janma Rashis Today
Mesha, Vrishabha, Simha, Kanya, Dhanu, Kumbha
Chandrashtama (avoid): Karka
| # | Janma Nakshatra | Tara | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwini | Sadhaka साधक | auspicious |
| 2 | Bharani | Pratyari प्रत्यरि | inauspicious |
| 3 | Krittika |
Ritu (Vedic)
Hemantaहेमन्त
Ritu (Drik)
Sharadशरद्
Ayana
Dakshinayanaदक्षिणायन
Dinamana
10h 32m
Ratrimana
13h 28m
Madhyahna
11:53
Source: Suryasiddhanta. Dinamana = sunrise→sunset minutes; Madhyahna = local solar noon.
| Kaliyuga Year | 5127 |
| Kali Ahargana | 1872925 |
| Julian Day | 2461390.5 |
| Modified Julian Day | 61390 |
| Rata Die | 739966 |
| National Civil (Saka) | Agrahayana 25, 1948 Shaka |
| National Nirayana (Saka) | Margashirsha 31, 1948 Shaka |
| Lahiri Ayanamsha |
On Wednesday, 16 December 2026, the Vedic calendar throughout Varanasi carries a day of particular rhythmic quality. The sun rises at 6:37 AM and dipping below the horizon at 5:09 PM, bringing 10 hours 32 minutes of daylight. The tithi is Saptami of Shukla side of the lunar month, and the nakshatra of the day is Shatabhisha. Vajra yoga presides over the day, completing the core panchang signature for 2026-12-16. Brahma Muhurta opens at 5:01 AM and closes at 5:49 AM, anchored to today's local sunrise.
Throughout Varanasi, Rahu Kala occupies the stretch from 11:53 AM through 1:12 PM — the period to avoid for new endeavours. Today's Disha Shool falls in the North direction — classical guidance advises against new Wednesday journeys toward the North. On the auspicious side, the Labh choghadiya (6:37 AM–7:56 AM) is the day's prime auspicious window. Shatabhisha nakshatra is ruled by Rahu, anchoring the vedic day in the particulars of Varanasi.
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The Moon's star-mansion — the patch of sky it sits in today, one of 27. Each nakshatra has its own temperament that classical texts use to judge what the day is good for.
Brihat Samhita — Nakshatra chapters (nakshatra qualities)A combined Sun-and-Moon measure (one of 27 nitya-yogas) — not the physical posture practice. A few yogas, such as Vyatipata and Vaidhriti, are best avoided; most are ordinary.
Muhurta Chintamani — Yoga enumeration (tyajya-yoga list, v. 33)Half of a tithi — each lunar day holds two karanas. One of them, Vishti (also called Bhadra), is treated as inauspicious; the rest are workable.
BPHS — Karana-jnana-vidhi (11 karanas including Vishti)The weekday and its ruling planet. Each day's planet colours which tasks the tradition recommends — e.g. Thursday (Jupiter) for auspicious beginnings.
Muhurta Chintamani — Vara-prakaranam (weekday lords)The lunar month. India uses two reckonings — Amanta (new-moon to new-moon) and Purnimanta (full-moon to full-moon) — so the name can differ by region. An 'Adhika' (extra) month is inserted to keep the lunar and solar years aligned.
Nirnaya Sindhu — Adhikamasa-nirnaya (intercalary month)The fortnight. Shukla is the waxing half (Moon growing toward full); Krishna is the waning half (toward the new moon).
Calendar definition
The zodiac sign the Moon occupies now. Together with your birth Moon-sign it drives Chandrabala — the Moon's day-to-day favourability for you.
Muhurta Chintamani — 2.4-2.5 (Chandrabala)Sidereal (Lahiri) ephemeris; anga end-times computed to the city’s actual sunrise. “Adhika maas” marks an intercalary lunar month (no solar sankranti within it).
| Abhijit Muhurta |
| 11:32 |
| 12:14 |
| auspicious |
अमृत कालम्
17:59 – 19:44
Source: Muhurta Chintamani; Nirnaya Sindhu. Sub-window arithmetic from sunrise + Surya nakshatra position at the city’s coordinates.
Source: Nirnaya Sindhu; Suryasiddhanta. Samvatsara from the 60-year Brihaspati cycle.
Southeast आग्नेय
avoid
Source: Direction occupied by Rahu; avoid offerings facing here
Agnivasa
Patala पाताल
avoid
Source: Agni's dwelling for homa-suitability assessment
Shiva Vasa
Krida क्रीडा
avoid
Source: Shiva's location for rudrabhisheka timing
Homahuti
Venus शुक्र
favourable
Source: Benefic planet: offering auspicious
Anandadi Yoga
Manasa मानस
favourable
Source: Auspicious day-yoga (Anandadi)
| Kshema क्षेम |
| auspicious |
| 4 | Rohini | Vipat विपत् | inauspicious |
| 5 | Mrigashira | Sampat सम्पत् | auspicious |
| 6 | Ardra | Janma जन्म | inauspicious |
| 7 | Punarvasu | Ati-Mitra अतिमित्र | auspicious |
| 8 | Pushya | Mitra मित्र | auspicious |
| 9 | Ashlesha | Vadha वध | inauspicious |
| 10 | Magha | Sadhaka साधक | auspicious |
| 11 | Purva Phalguni | Pratyari प्रत्यरि | inauspicious |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguni | Kshema क्षेम | auspicious |
| 13 | Hasta | Vipat विपत् | inauspicious |
| 14 | Chitra | Sampat सम्पत् | auspicious |
| 15 | Swati | Janma जन्म | inauspicious |
| 16 | Vishakha | Ati-Mitra अतिमित्र | auspicious |
| 17 | Anuradha | Mitra मित्र | auspicious |
| 18 | Jyeshtha | Vadha वध | inauspicious |
| 19 | Mula | Sadhaka साधक | auspicious |
| 20 | Purva Ashadha | Pratyari प्रत्यरि | inauspicious |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadha | Kshema क्षेम | auspicious |
| 22 | Shravana | Vipat विपत् | inauspicious |
| 23 | Dhanishtha | Sampat सम्पत् | auspicious |
| 24 | Shatabhisha | Janma जन्म | inauspicious |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapada | Ati-Mitra अतिमित्र | auspicious |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapada | Mitra मित्र | auspicious |
| 27 | Revati | Vadha वध | inauspicious |
| # | Janma Rashi | House from Janma | Favourable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesha | 11 | yes |
| 2 | Vrishabha | 10 | yes |
| 3 | Mithuna | 9 | no |
| 4 | Karka | 8 | no |
| 5 | Simha | 7 | yes |
| 6 | Kanya | 6 | yes |
| 7 | Tula | 5 | no |
| 8 | Vrishchika | 4 | no |
| 9 | Dhanu | 3 | yes |
| 10 | Makara | 2 | no |
| 11 | Kumbha | 1 | yes |
| 12 | Meena | 12 | no |
Source: Muhurta Chintamani; Brihat Samhita. Tarabala uses the 9-cycle from janma-nakshatra to today’s nakshatra.
| # | Rashi | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Vrishchika वृश्चिक | 06:37 | 06:42 |
| 9 | Dhanu धनु | 06:42 | 08:47 |
| 10 | Makara मकर | 08:47 | 10:32 |
| 11 | Kumbha कुम्भ | 10:32 | 12:02 |
| 12 | Meena मीन | 12:02 | 13:32 |
| 1 | Mesha मेष | 13:32 | 15:12 |
| 2 | Vrishabha वृषभ | 15:12 | 17:07 |
| 3 | Mithuna मिथुन | 17:07 | 19:22 |
| 4 | Karka कर्क | 19:22 | 21:37 |
| 5 | Simha सिंह | 21:37 | 23:52 |
| 6 | Kanya कन्या | 23:52 | 02:07 |
| 7 | Tula तुला | 02:07 | 04:22 |
| 8 | Vrishchika वृश्चिक | 04:22 | 06:37 |
| 9 | Dhanu धनु | 06:37 | 06:37 |
| # | Label | Start | End | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chora चोर | 06:37 | 07:19 | inauspicious |
| 2 | Shubha शुभ | 07:19 | 08:01 | auspicious |
| 3 | Roga रोग | 08:01 | 08:43 | inauspicious |
| 4 | Mrityu मृत्यु | 08:43 | 09:26 | inauspicious |
| 5 | Agni अग्नि | 09:26 | 10:08 | inauspicious |
| 6 | Raja राज | 10:08 | 10:50 | inauspicious |
| 7 | Chora चोर | 10:50 | 11:32 | inauspicious |
| 8 | Shubha शुभ | 11:32 | 12:14 | auspicious |
| 9 | Roga रोग | 12:14 | 12:56 | inauspicious |
| 10 | Mrityu मृत्यु | 12:56 | 13:38 | inauspicious |
| 11 | Agni अग्नि | 13:38 | 14:21 | inauspicious |
| 12 | Raja राज | 14:21 | 15:03 | inauspicious |
| 13 | Chora चोर | 15:03 | 15:45 | inauspicious |
| 14 | Shubha शुभ | 15:45 | 16:27 | auspicious |
| 15 | Roga रोग | 16:27 | 17:09 | inauspicious |
Source: Muhurta Chintamani; Nirnaya Sindhu.
| 24.2337° |
Derived from the day’s Julian Day and the Lahiri ayanamsha.