Rahu Kaal Explained: How It Is Calculated and When to Avoid It Rahu Kaal is a period of about ninety minutes each day that many people in India avoid for starting new work. It shows up in every daily panchang, but the time changes from city to city and day to day. This guide explains why. VedicSense is an Indian Vedic astrology platform with a free Rahu Kaal timing tool and a daily panchang for your city. How it is worked out The time from local sunrise to local sunset is split into eight equal parts. One of those parts belongs to Rahu, and which part it is depends on the weekday: • Monday: 2nd part • Saturday: 3rd part • Friday: 4th part • Wednesday: 5th part • Thursday: 6th part • Tuesday: 7th part • Sunday: 8th part With a 12-hour day each part is 90 minutes, so on a Monday with a 6:00 sunrise, Rahu Kaal runs from about 7:30 to 9:00. In winter the day is shorter, so each part is shorter too. Because sunrise in Kolkata comes well before sunrise in Mumbai, the same weekday gives different clock times in each city. What people avoid The traditional advice is to avoid starting something new during Rahu Kaal: a journey, a business deal, a purchase of gold or a vehicle, a griha pravesh or a puja for a fresh beginning. Work that has already started can continue. Many people still pray to Durga or recite a mantra during this period. Yamaganda and Gulika Panchangs also list Yamaganda and Gulika Kaal, worked out the same way with different parts of the day. Gulika is sometimes seen as fine for repeat activities. For a big event, astrologers look at a proper shubh muhurat and the choghadiya instead of only skipping Rahu Kaal. Quick tips • Always use your own city's sunrise, not a fixed 7:30 to 9:00 slot. • For important dates, combine Rahu Kaal with tithi, nakshatra and muhurat. • Don't panic if something has to happen in Rahu Kaal. It is a guideline, not a rule. Make your free kundli or check kundli milan at VedicSense.