See all three inauspicious periods for any date and city — Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika Kaal — computed from precise local sunrise and sunset. These are traditional Vedic guideposts for timing new beginnings, not predictions of harm.
How these periods are calculated
The daylight span (sunrise to sunset) is divided into eight equal parts. Each of the three inauspicious periods occupies one of those eight parts, and which part depends on the weekday — the slot assignments rotate through the week by a fixed table. Rahu Kaal falls in a different eighth of the day on each weekday; Yamaganda and Gulika Kaal follow their own independent tables. Because the calculation is anchored to local sunrise, the clock times shift every day and vary significantly by location. None of these periods imply certain misfortune — they are used traditionally to decide when not to begin significant new undertakings.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rahu Kaal?
Rahu Kaal is a roughly 1.5-hour window each day traditionally considered inauspicious for starting new ventures, because it falls under the influence of Rahu — the north node of the Moon in Vedic astrology. The slot shifts by weekday and is computed from sunrise and sunset.
What is Yamaganda?
Yamaganda is a second inauspicious period each day, associated with Yama (the deity of death and dharma). Like Rahu Kaal, it is one-eighth of the daylight span and its position rotates by weekday.
What is Gulika Kaal?
Gulika Kaal is the third inauspicious window, associated with Gulika — a sub-planet considered the son of Saturn in classical Vedic texts. It occupies one-eighth of daylight and rotates by weekday in the same manner.
Does Rahu Kaal affect ongoing activities?
Traditionally, Rahu Kaal and the other inauspicious periods refer only to the initiation of new activities — starting a journey, signing a contract, launching a business and so on. Routine and ongoing activities are not considered to be affected.
Why does the timing change by location?
All three periods are derived from local sunrise and sunset, which vary with latitude, longitude and the time of year. A location near the equator has relatively stable daytime hours; locations at higher latitudes see significant seasonal variation.
Astrologger