Hindu Calendar & Astronomy

A muhurat is an auspicious time window calculated using the panchang for starting important activities like weddings, house purchases, or business ventures. It considers tithi, nakshatra, yoga, and planetary positions to find the moment when cosmic energies best support your intention.

About every 2-3 years, the Hindu calendar adds a 13th month called Adhik Maas (or Purushottam Maas) to sync the lunar year with the solar year. This month is considered highly auspicious for spiritual practices but inauspicious for weddings and new ventures.

Vikram Samvat is the Hindu calendar era starting from 57 BCE, traditionally linked to King Vikramaditya. So the year 2026 CE corresponds to approximately Vikram Samvat 2082-2083. It's the official calendar of Nepal and widely used across North India for religious purposes.

Choghadiya divides each day and night into eight time periods, each classified as Amrit (best), Shubh (good), Labh (profit), Char (okay), Rog (bad for health), Kaal (bad), or Udveg (anxiety). It's a quick reference for choosing favourable timings without a detailed panchang analysis.

Hindu festivals follow the lunisolar calendar based on moon phases, not the fixed Gregorian solar calendar. Since the lunar month is ~29.5 days versus the Gregorian month's 30-31 days, Hindu festivals shift by about 11 days each Gregorian year.

Purnimant (North Indian) counts months from the day after a full moon to the next full moon. Amant (South Indian) counts from new moon to new moon. Same lunar data, different month boundaries - which is why the same festival can fall in different named months!

Ekadashi (11th tithi) is observed twice monthly as a fasting day dedicated to Vishnu. Each Ekadashi has a unique name and story - Nirjala Ekadashi is the strictest (no water!) while Devshayani and Devuthani Ekadashi mark Vishnu's cosmic sleep and awakening.

Shaka Samvat is the era starting from 78 CE, used as India's national civil calendar alongside the Gregorian calendar. It starts with Chaitra 1, and the Indian government uses it for official gazettes. So 2026 CE is Shaka 1947-1948.

Yogas are calculated from the combined longitude of the sun and moon, creating 27 divisions from Vishkambha to Vaidhriti. Some yogas like Siddhi, Amrit, and Shubha are considered excellent for new ventures, while Vyaghata and Parigha are avoided for important work.

A Hora is a one-hour planetary period used to determine the most favourable times for activities. Each hour of the day is ruled by a planet, and matching your activity to the right planetary hora enhances success. Jupiter's hora is best for learning, Venus's for creativity.

Chaturmas is the four-month holy period during the monsoon (approximately July-November) when Vishnu sleeps on Shesha Naga. It's considered inauspicious for weddings but ideal for spiritual practices. Many sadhus take a vow to stay in one place during Chaturmas.

There's no single Hindu New Year! Different regions celebrate on different dates: Chaitra Navratri (North), Ugadi (Karnataka/Andhra), Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Vishu (Kerala), and Baisakhi (Punjab). Each falls in March-April based on regional calendar systems.

Pradosh Kaal is the twilight period when the 13th tithi (Trayodashi) falls - considered supremely auspicious for Shiva worship. Observing Pradosh Vrat (fast) and performing Shiva puja during this window is believed to remove sins and grant wishes.

Brahma Muhurat is the auspicious pre-dawn period approximately 1.5 hours before sunrise (around 4:00-5:30 AM). It's considered the ideal time for meditation, study, and spiritual practice because the mind is naturally clear and sattvic. Yogis and sages have always risen during this time.

Karana is half a tithi - so each tithi has two karanas, giving 60 per month. There are 11 types: 4 fixed (Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, Kimstughna) and 7 rotating (Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, Vishti). Vishti (Bhadra) is considered inauspicious.

Uttarayana is the sun's northward journey (mid-January to mid-July), considered auspicious - Bhishma waited for Uttarayana to die. Dakshinayana is the southward journey (mid-July to mid-January), considered more suited for spiritual introspection and ancestor worship.

Kartik is the holiest month for Vaishnavas. Deep Daan (lamp donation), Tulsi puja, Kartik snan (early morning bath), and charitable activities during this month carry multiplied spiritual merit. It contains Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Chhath Puja, and Dev Uthani Ekadashi.

Holi always falls on the Purnima (full moon) of Phalguna month - that's why it's also called Phalguni Purnima. Holika Dahan happens on the full moon night, and the colour-playing Dhulandi/Rangwali Holi is the next morning.

Pitru Paksha is the 15-day ancestor worship period in the dark half of Bhadrapada month (September-October). Hindus perform tarpan (water offerings) and shraddha (food offerings) to honour deceased ancestors, believing the spiritual veil is thinnest during this time.

Makar Sankranti marks the sun entering Capricorn (Makara) and the beginning of Uttarayana. It's one of the few Hindu festivals based on the solar calendar, so it falls on approximately the same Gregorian date (January 14-15) every year. Til-gur (sesame-jaggery) is exchanged.