Guides / Panchang
What is Rahu Kala?
Rahu Kala is a weekday portion of daylight, inauspicious for beginning certain activities.
A weekday slice of daylight
Rahu Kala (Rahu Kalam) is one of the electional windows printed in a Panchang. Daylight is divided into eight parts. A different eighth is assigned to Rahu on each weekday. The result is a span of local time, usually a little over ninety minutes near the equinox, longer in summer and shorter in winter.
Yamaganda and Gulika are similar weekday windows, counted from the same sunrise and sunset. Abhijit Muhurta sits near the middle of the day and is favorable.
How it is used
Rahu Kala is avoided for starting journeys, contracts, or ceremonies. Ongoing work is a different question; the window is about beginnings. Treat it as part of the day’s electional map, alongside Choghadiya and the five limbs.
Common questions
- Does Rahu Kala fall at the same clock time every day?
- No. It is a fraction of the time between local sunrise and sunset, and the fraction depends on the weekday. As sunrise and day length change, the clock times move.