Rāhu kāla
राहुकाल
One-eighth of daytime, assigned to Rāhu by weekday.
Definition
Rāhu kāla is one of the eight equal parts of the daytime from sunrise to sunset, about ninety minutes, assigned to Rāhu. Its position depends on the weekday: the second part on Monday, third on Saturday, fourth on Friday, fifth on Wednesday, sixth on Thursday, seventh on Tuesday and eighth on Sunday. It is a popular almanac observance, especially in southern India, where almanacs mark it as a time not chosen for beginning undertakings.
Articles that use this term
- PanchangaExplainer
How to read a panchang
The five limbs of the Indian almanac, what each one measures, and how to make sense of a printed page.
7 min read · 15 October 2026
- Jyotish · Hora
Grahas are not planets: the nine "seizers"
Why Jyotish counts the Sun, the Moon and two invisible points among its nine grahas, and what the word actually means.
7 min read · 10 October 2026
- Panchanga
Muhurta: choosing a time, the Kalpa way
From the ritual sutras to the Muhurta Chintamani: how the tradition thinks about doing an act at a fitting moment.
7 min read · 5 October 2026
- PanchangaExplainer
Rahu Kaal, Gulika and Yamaganda: where the day-divisions come from
Three daily periods printed in almanacs, each an eighth of the daylight chosen by weekday: how they are computed, and why we treat them as later conventions.
6 min read · 28 September 2026
- PanchangaExplainer
Choghadiya: the day in eight parts
How the choghadiya divides daylight and night into eight periods each, why the sequence starts where it does, and where the system is used for muhurta.
7 min read · 27 September 2026