A shubh muhurat is a time window that the panchang marks as the most favourable for beginning a particular task. To find one, a pandit looks at the five limbs of the panchang, namely tithi, vaar, nakshatra, yoga and karan, and for major events also checks the lagna (rising sign) at that moment. For small everyday tasks people often use the Abhijit muhurat or the Choghadiya, but the muhurat for ceremonies like a wedding or griha pravesh is always set by a full calculation.
Which parts of the panchang decide a muhurat?
- Tithi: the lunar day. Chaturthi, Navami and Chaturdashi (the 4th, 9th and 14th) are called rikta tithis and are generally avoided for auspicious starts. Amavasya (new moon) is also avoided for most celebratory work.
- Vaar: the weekday, each ruled by a planet. Thursday, for example, is considered good for study and religious work, and Friday for buying things linked with comfort and luxury.
- Nakshatra: of the 27 lunar mansions, some are fixed, some movable and some fierce. Nakshatras such as Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Uttarashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada and Revati are preferred for many auspicious events.
- Yoga: 27 combinations formed by the positions of the Sun and Moon. A few, like Vyatipata and Vaidhriti, are avoided for auspicious work.
- Karan: half of a tithi. Vishti karan, better known as Bhadra, is considered inauspicious for celebrations.
On top of these, the lagna is checked, meaning the zodiac sign rising in the east at that time. For weddings and griha pravesh a clean lagna is considered very important, so within a single good day some hours are stronger than others. For major ceremonies, periods such as Kharmas, Chaturmas and the times when Jupiter or Venus is combust are also generally avoided.
What is Abhijit muhurat?
The daytime from sunrise to sunset is divided into 15 muhurats, and the 8th of them is called Abhijit. It is a window of roughly 48 minutes around local noon, starting about 24 minutes before midday and ending about 24 minutes after. When no separate muhurat is available for a task, Abhijit is considered auspicious for many kinds of work.
By tradition, the Abhijit muhurat on Wednesdays is usually not used. Remember too that local noon is not the same as 12 o'clock on your watch. It is the exact midpoint between sunrise and sunset in your city.
What is Choghadiya?
Choghadiya divides both the day and the night into 8 parts each, and every part is roughly an hour and a half long. Each part has a name:
- Considered good: Amrit, Shubh and Labh
- Neutral, good for travel: Char, also called Chal
- Considered bad: Kaal, Rog and Udveg
The day starts with a different Choghadiya depending on the weekday; Monday morning, for instance, begins with Amrit and Sunday morning with Udveg. Business families in Gujarat, Rajasthan and North India use Choghadiya widely for opening a shop, starting a journey or anything that needs to happen quickly. For major ceremonies like a wedding, though, Choghadiya alone is not considered enough.
How is a muhurat chosen for griha pravesh, vivah, naamkaran and vehicle purchase?
Griha pravesh
For a griha pravesh (housewarming), the months of Magh, Phalgun, Vaishakh and Jyeshtha are generally preferred, while Kharmas and Chaturmas are avoided. The day and time are fixed by looking for a good tithi, a fixed nakshatra and a clean lagna.
Vivah
The wedding muhurat involves the most detailed calculation. It considers both the bride's and groom's kundlis, whether Jupiter and Venus are visible rather than combust, avoiding Kharmas and Chaturmas, the nakshatras suitable for marriage, and a clean lagna.
Naamkaran
Many families hold the naming ceremony on the 11th or 12th day after birth, while others pick a different day according to family custom. Rikta tithis are avoided, and the first letter of the name is often chosen from the pada (quarter) of the birth nakshatra.
Vehicle purchase
For a new vehicle, people look for a good tithi, a favourable weekday and a suitable nakshatra. Pushya nakshatra is considered especially auspicious for purchases, and many people take delivery during an Amrit, Shubh or Labh Choghadiya. Rahu Kaal and Bhadra are avoided.
Why consult a pandit for a muhurat?
Each factor above looks simple on its own, but a real muhurat comes from weighing all of them together. A day may have a good tithi but fall under Bhadra, or a good nakshatra but a weak lagna. The family members' kundlis, the local sunrise and regional customs also come into play.
An experienced pandit balances all of this and usually offers two or three options, so you can pick the one that suits your plans. Your family pandit's tradition may follow slightly different rules, and that is perfectly normal.
See your city's panchangTithi, nakshatra, sunrise and sunset and today's good and bad timings — daily.Open in app →For the daily tithi, nakshatra, sunrise and sunset and the good and bad timings of the day, you can check the daily panchang in the Achman app. Once the muhurat is fixed, you can also book a verified pandit through the app for the griha pravesh, naamkaran or any other puja.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find today's shubh muhurat?
For small tasks, check your city's panchang for the tithi, nakshatra, Rahu Kaal and the good and bad timings of the day. Abhijit muhurat and Choghadiya are also handy for everyday work. For ceremonies like a wedding, griha pravesh or mundan, it is better to have a pandit do the full calculation.
What can be done during Abhijit muhurat?
Abhijit muhurat is considered good for most auspicious tasks, such as starting new work, signing important papers or setting out on a trip, especially when no separate muhurat is available. By tradition, the Wednesday Abhijit is usually avoided. Major ceremonies like weddings still need a fully calculated muhurat.
Can griha pravesh be done without a muhurat?
Tradition prefers a muhurat for griha pravesh, so most families have a pandit fix the day and time. If you must move in urgently, many families do a simple puja to start living there and hold the full griha pravesh puja later at an auspicious time. Ask your pandit what suits your situation.
What is avoided during Kharmas?
Kharmas is the period when the Sun is in Sagittarius (Dhanu) or Pisces (Meen), each lasting about a month. During it, weddings, griha pravesh, mundan and other new auspicious beginnings are generally postponed. Daily puja, jaap, charity and religious reading continue as usual.
What is the difference between Choghadiya and a muhurat?
Choghadiya is a ready table of 8 day parts and 8 night parts, useful for quick decisions like travel, opening a shop or small tasks. A full muhurat combines tithi, nakshatra, yoga, karan, lagna and sometimes the kundli. That is why major ceremonies rely on a full muhurat.
By Achman Team · Updated