Panchang
Rahu Kaal
The inauspicious eighth of daylight carved out for Rahu each weekday, local to your place.
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What Rahu Kaal Is
Rahu Kaal (also written Rahu Kalam or Rahukalam) is a period of about one and a half hours each day that tradition assigns to Rahu, the shadow planet. It is one-eighth of the time between sunrise and sunset, and it is widely avoided for beginning anything new, such as a journey, a purchase, a ceremony or a business deal.
The free Rahu Kaal calculator on GyaaniJyotish shows the exact Rahu Kalam for your city and date, with no sign-in, alongside the other inauspicious periods of the day.
How to Read Rahu Kaal on This Page
Rahu Kalam appears first in the Inauspicious timings section, with its start and end in 24-hour local time, and it is highlighted on this page. Three related periods are listed below it:
- Yamaganda Kalam: another one-eighth of daylight, ruled by Yama, traditionally avoided for new starts.
- Gulika Kalam: the portion linked to Gulika, a sub-planet of Saturn. Tradition holds that what begins in it tends to repeat, so it is avoided for anything you would not want to happen again.
- Durmuhurtam: one or two short periods in the day that are considered unfavourable for ceremonies.
The header shows the sunrise and sunset that these windows are measured from.
Rahu Kaal by Weekday
Daylight is divided into eight equal parts, and Rahu takes a fixed part on each weekday. With a 6:00 sunrise and 18:00 sunset, each part is 90 minutes:
| Weekday | Part of daylight | Approximate time with 6:00 sunrise |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2nd | 07:30 to 09:00 |
| Saturday | 3rd | 09:00 to 10:30 |
| Friday | 4th | 10:30 to 12:00 |
| Wednesday | 5th | 12:00 to 13:30 |
| Thursday | 6th | 13:30 to 15:00 |
| Tuesday | 7th | 15:00 to 16:30 |
| Sunday | 8th | 16:30 to 18:00 |
Real days rarely have exactly twelve hours of daylight. In winter the parts are shorter, in summer longer, and the whole pattern slides with your local sunrise. That is why a fixed chart printed for one city drifts from the correct time elsewhere, and why this page calculates it for your place and date.
Common Questions
What should I avoid during Rahu Kaal?
Tradition advises against starting new work, travel, purchases, agreements or auspicious ceremonies in this window. Routine tasks and work already under way continue as normal. Many people simply wait for Rahu Kaal to end before leaving home or signing papers.
Is there Rahu Kaal at night?
Most almanacs, and this page, give Rahu Kaal for daytime only, because it is defined as a part of the interval from sunrise to sunset.
Why is Rahu Kaal different from the time in my printed calendar?
Printed calendars often use a single city or a fixed 6:00 sunrise. Your local sunrise and sunset can differ by half an hour or more from that, especially far from the city the calendar was made for.
Can I ask how Rahu affects my own chart?
Yes. A GyaaniJyotish AI astrologer can explain Rahu's placement and period in your birth chart by chat in ten Indian languages; voice is available in English, Hindi and Tamil. They can also suggest how to plan around Rahu Kaal on days that matter to you.