Panchang (पंचांग) literally translates to the "five limbs" (Pancha = five, Anga = limbs) of sacred astronomical time in classical Vedic astrology (Jyotish). Rooted in ancient astronomical treatises such as the Surya Siddhanta and modern Drik Ganita (observational astronomy), a panchang is an ephemeris almanac that maps the exact angular positions of the Sun and the Moon relative to the Earth and the 27 stellar constellations.
The Five Sacred Limbs of Panchang
Every traditional Hindu calendar day is defined by five distinct mathematical parameters:
- 1Tithi (Lunar Day): The lunar day is measured by the longitudinal angular distance between the Sun and the Moon. Each 12-degree separation creates one Tithi. There are 30 Tithis in a lunar month: 15 during the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) culminating in Purnima (Full Moon), and 15 during the waning phase (Krishna Paksha) ending in Amavasya (New Moon). Because planetary speeds fluctuate, a Tithi can last anywhere from 19 to 26 hours, beginning and ending at any clock hour.
- 2Vaar (Solar Weekday): The seven days of the week, each energized and governed by one of the celestial rulers: Ravivaar (Sun), Somvaar (Moon), Mangalvaar (Mars), Budhvaar (Mercury), Guruvaar (Jupiter), Shukravaar (Venus), and Shanivaar (Saturn). The Vaar begins strictly at local sunrise, unlike the civil calendar which rolls over at midnight.
- 3Nakshatra (Lunar Constellation): The 360-degree zodiac belt is partitioned into 27 equal stellar divisions of 13°20' each. The Nakshatra indicates which constellation the Moon is currently transiting. It governs a person's temperament, birth name syllables, and electional Muhurat suitability.
- 4Yoga (Luni-Solar Combination): Calculated by summing the longitudinal degrees of the Sun and the Moon and dividing by 13°20'. There are 27 Yogas (such as Siddhi, Shubha, Brahma, or inauspicious ones like Vyatipata and Vaidhriti), indicating the spiritual and energetic harmony of the day.
- 5Karana (Half-Lunar Day): A Karana equals half a Tithi (a 6-degree separation between Sun and Moon). Two Karanas occur in each Tithi, totaling 60 Karanas in a lunar month (comprising 4 fixed and 7 repeating Karanas). The infamous Vishti Karana is traditionally known as Bhadra, during which auspicious beginnings are deferred.
Local Sunrise & The Drik Siddhanta
A critical principle of authentic Vedic panchang is that time windows are hyper-local. Panchang values are computed for the precise latitude and longitude of your city. Because the Sun rises earlier in eastern cities (like Bharatpur or Dholpur) than in western desert locations (like Jaisalmer or Bikaner), the sunrise times, Rahu Kalam, and Choghadiya periods vary by several minutes across cities on the exact same date.
Apna Panchang computes high-precision Drik Ganita planetary positions in Indian Standard Time (IST) using NASA/JPL-grade astronomical ephemerides, giving you authentic, verified timings for 40+ cities across Rajasthan and India.
