Rahu Kalam Today: City-by-City Calculator & Rules

Reviewed by Dr. Meenakshi Sharma, M.A. Sanskrit & Vedic Studies, Varanasi — as of May 2026.

Rahu Kalam is the daily 90-minute inauspicious period associated with Rahu — the north node of the Moon, one of the two shadow planets in Vedic astrology. As of 2026, Rahu Kalam remains one of the most widely observed timing restrictions in India, particularly in South India where it is called Rahu Kalam in Tamil and Telugu traditions. Every day contains exactly one Rahu Kalam period, and the pattern of which part of the day it falls in follows a fixed weekday sequence. The rule is simple: do not begin any new auspicious activity during Rahu Kalam. Activities already in progress continue without interruption. Understanding exactly when Rahu Kalam falls today — and for your specific city — is the most-checked single timing question in Indian daily life. Check today's Rahu Kalam for your city at /panchang.

> Answer capsule: Rahu Kalam is a daily 90-minute inauspicious period governed by Rahu (the north lunar node). It follows a fixed weekday pattern: Monday at the 2nd slot, Saturday at the 3rd slot, Friday at the 4th slot, Wednesday at the 5th slot, Thursday at the 6th slot, Tuesday at the 7th slot, Sunday at the 8th slot. New starts are avoided; ongoing activities continue.

To understand why Rahu Kalam is feared and respected, one must first understand Rahu's nature in Vedic cosmology. Rahu is the north node of the Moon — the point where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic in a northward direction. Rahu and Ketu (the south node) are the two shadow planets (chaya grahas) that cause solar and lunar eclipses when the Sun and Moon align with them.

The Vishnu Purana and Surya Siddhanta both describe Rahu as a severed head — the demon Svarbhanu who drank the nectar of immortality (amrit) during the Samudra Manthan and was beheaded by Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra when the Sun and Moon identified him. Rahu (the head) causes eclipses by "swallowing" the Sun or Moon. This mythological identity explains Rahu's astronomical role (eclipses occur when the Sun or Moon is near the nodes) and his astrological quality (sudden disruption, obstruction, illusion, and shadow over whatever he touches).

> Answer capsule: Rahu is the north lunar node — the point where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic from south to north. In Vedic mythology, he is the severed head of a demon who drank amrit. His eclipse-causing nature translates astrologically into the quality of disruption, illusion, and shadow — hence Rahu Kalam's avoidance for new starts.

The day from sunrise to sunset is divided into 8 equal slots. Rahu Kalam occupies one specific slot each weekday in a fixed traditional pattern. The mnemonic used in South India is: "Mother Saw Father Wearing The Turban Standing" — where each word's first letter indicates the weekday order: Monday, Saturday, Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday, Sunday.

This mnemonic gives the slot position: 1. Monday: 2nd slot (counting from sunrise) 2. Saturday: 3rd slot 3. Friday: 4th slot 4. Wednesday: 5th slot 5. Thursday: 6th slot 6. Tuesday: 7th slot 7. Sunday: 8th slot (last slot before sunset)

Each slot = (Sunrise to Sunset time) ÷ 8. For a standard 6 AM sunrise and 6 PM sunset city (12-hour day), each slot = 90 minutes.

> Answer capsule: Rahu Kalam occupies one of 8 daily slots, fixed by weekday: Monday = slot 2, Saturday = slot 3, Friday = slot 4, Wednesday = slot 5, Thursday = slot 6, Tuesday = slot 7, Sunday = slot 8. The mnemonic "Mother Saw Father Wearing The Turban Standing" encodes this sequence. Each slot is approximately 90 minutes.

For a city with sunrise at 6:00 AM and sunset at 6:00 PM (12-hour day, each slot = 90 minutes), the standard Rahu Kalam times are:

Day | Slot | Rahu Kalam

• Sunday — 8th — 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
• Monday — 2nd — 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
• Tuesday — 7th — 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
• Wednesday — 5th — 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
• Thursday — 6th — 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
• Friday — 4th — 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
• Saturday — 3rd — 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

These are standard times only. The actual Rahu Kalam varies by city and season because slot duration = (local sunrise to sunset) ÷ 8. For cities with earlier or later sunrise, or in seasons with longer or shorter days, all times shift proportionally.

Seasonal variation example (Delhi): 1. January (sunrise 7:12 AM, sunset 5:37 PM, day = 625 min, slot = 78 min): Monday Rahu Kalam ≈ 8:30 AM – 9:48 AM 1. June (sunrise 5:25 AM, sunset 7:22 PM, day = 837 min, slot = 105 min): Monday Rahu Kalam ≈ 6:50 AM – 8:35 AM

> Answer capsule: The standard Rahu Kalam times assume a 6 AM sunrise. For other cities: Monday = 7:30 AM slot, Friday = 10:30 AM slot, Wednesday = 12 PM slot as the commonly memorized reference. Actual times shift with the local sunrise and day length — AstroSight's Panchang calculates exact city-specific times automatically.

The following reference is calculated for a typical weekday in May 2026, using approximate city sunrise times. These are the approximate midpoints of the Rahu Kalam window for each city.

Monday Rahu Kalam (2nd slot): 1. Delhi (sunrise ≈ 5:28 AM, slot ≈ 99 min): 7:05 AM – 8:44 AM 2. Mumbai (sunrise ≈ 6:05 AM, slot ≈ 91 min): 7:36 AM – 9:07 AM 3. Chennai (sunrise ≈ 5:55 AM, slot ≈ 84 min): 7:19 AM – 8:43 AM 4. Kolkata (sunrise ≈ 5:02 AM, slot ≈ 103 min): 6:45 AM – 8:28 AM 5. Bengaluru (sunrise ≈ 5:56 AM, slot ≈ 85 min): 7:21 AM – 8:46 AM

Friday Rahu Kalam (4th slot): 1. Delhi: 10:39 AM – 12:18 PM 2. Mumbai: 11:14 AM – 12:45 PM 3. Chennai: 10:55 AM – 12:19 PM 4. Kolkata: 10:11 AM – 11:54 AM 5. Bengaluru: 10:58 AM – 12:23 PM

Wednesday Rahu Kalam (5th slot — near midday): 1. Delhi: ≈ 12:18 PM – 1:57 PM 2. Mumbai: ≈ 12:45 PM – 2:16 PM 3. Chennai: ≈ 12:19 PM – 1:43 PM 4. Kolkata: ≈ 11:54 AM – 1:37 PM 5. Bengaluru: ≈ 12:23 PM – 1:48 PM

> Answer capsule: May 2026 reference: Delhi's Monday Rahu Kalam runs approximately 7:05–8:44 AM; Mumbai's runs 7:36–9:07 AM. Kolkata's times are consistently 30-50 minutes earlier than Mumbai's due to the eastern sunrise. These times shift by up to 90 minutes between summer and winter.

The prohibition during Rahu Kalam is specific: do not begin new auspicious activities. The classical rule is aarambha nishiddha — "beginning is forbidden." Classical texts including the Muhurta Chintamani and regional Panchang traditions consistently list the same core prohibitions:

Activities strictly avoided during Rahu Kalam: 1. Starting a new business venture or opening a new shop 2. Departing for a new journey (travel begun during Rahu Kalam carries Rahu's shadow) 3. Beginning medical treatments or surgery (particularly critical — the shadow of Rahu on a medical start is considered highly inauspicious) 4. Marriage ceremonies and engagement 5. Signing new contracts or agreements of any significant type 6. Performing important religious ceremonies or havan/yajna 7. Beginning construction of a new building or entering a new home (Griha Pravesh) 8. Purchasing a new vehicle, property, or major asset

The consistency across all regional traditions is notable — this list is nearly identical in Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Rajasthani, and North Indian Panchang traditions.

> Answer capsule: Rahu Kalam strictly prohibits all new auspicious beginnings — new business, travel departure, medical treatment start, marriage, contract signing, construction start, property purchase. The rule applies only to beginnings: ongoing activities, routine work, and activities already in progress before Rahu Kalam began continue without restriction.

The prohibition is specifically on new auspicious starts — not on all activity. Many types of work proceed normally during Rahu Kalam:

Allowed during Rahu Kalam: 1. Continuing any work already in progress (you do not stop mid-task when Rahu Kalam begins) 2. Routine professional work — daily job duties, meeting attendance, regular tasks 3. Eating meals and daily routine activities 4. Completing and finishing work that was already started 5. Academic study — particularly useful for students, since many inconvenient Rahu Kalam periods fall during school hours 6. Activities deliberately suited to Rahu's energy: filing a complaint, addressing a dispute, dealing with shadowy or hidden matters 7. Some traditions specifically allow Rahu Kalam for activities involving obstacles — since Rahu is the planet of the underworld and hidden matters, activities that require navigating hidden obstacles or bureaucratic obstruction are considered to work with Rahu's energy rather than against it

> Answer capsule: Rahu Kalam does not stop all activity — only new auspicious beginnings. Ongoing work, routine professional duties, meals, study, and completing in-progress tasks all continue normally. Some traditions use Rahu Kalam for activities involving confrontation, legal complaints, and obstacle navigation — working with Rahu's obstruction energy.

Yamaganda Kalam is the second daily inauspicious period in the Panchang. "Yama" is the deity of death and time; "Ganda" means obstacle or knot. Yamaganda Kalam follows its own fixed weekday pattern, occupying different slots from Rahu Kalam.

Yamaganda Kalam weekday pattern: 1. Sunday: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (5th slot, for standard 6 AM sunrise) 2. Monday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (4th slot) 3. Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (3rd slot) 4. Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM (2nd slot) 5. Thursday: 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM (1st slot — at sunrise) 6. Friday: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (7th slot) 7. Saturday: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (6th slot)

Yamaganda Kalam carries similar prohibitions to Rahu Kalam — new auspicious activities are avoided. The emphasis in classical texts is on activities connected to life and vitality: medical treatments, travel departures, and new ventures that require vital energy are specifically mentioned. Yamaganda is generally considered slightly less severe than Rahu Kalam in most regional traditions.

> Answer capsule: Yamaganda Kalam is the second daily inauspicious period, also following a fixed weekday slot pattern. Thursday's Yamaganda Kalam falls at the very first slot (sunrise) — making early Thursday morning the most inauspicious start window despite Thursday's general auspiciousness. Yamaganda is slightly less severe than Rahu Kalam in most traditions.

Gulika (also called Mrityu) is the son of Saturn in Vedic tradition — a shadow planet assigned the 8th slot position among the planetary sequence. Gulika Kalam is the third daily inauspicious period, following yet another fixed weekday slot pattern:

Gulika Kalam weekday pattern: 1. Sunday: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (7th slot) 2. Monday: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (6th slot) 3. Tuesday: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (5th slot) 4. Wednesday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (4th slot) 5. Thursday: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (3rd slot) 6. Friday: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM (2nd slot) 7. Saturday: 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM (1st slot — at sunrise)

Gulika Kalam is associated with Saturn's malefic aspect and is particularly avoided for activities involving new commitments, journeys, and business. It is considered less severe than both Rahu Kalam and Yamaganda Kalam in most North Indian traditions, but South Indian traditions treat all three with equal seriousness.

> Answer capsule: Gulika Kalam is the third daily inauspicious period, associated with Saturn's shadow influence. Saturday's Gulika Kalam falls at sunrise — making Saturday morning's first slot doubly problematic (Gulika at sunrise, confirmed by cross-referencing with Saturday's Choghadiya). Gulika is generally considered the least severe of the three inauspicious periods.

For daily planning, the practical framework using all three inauspicious periods:

1. Find today's Rahu Kalam for your city at /panchang. 2. Note Yamaganda Kalam and Gulika Kalam for cross-reference. 3. Identify your planned activity's type — is it a new start, or ongoing work? 4. If it is a new start: ensure the planned time falls outside all three periods. 5. If an important activity must fall during one of these periods: see if it can be shifted by 15-30 minutes to clear the window. If not, the mildest compromise is to begin it in an Amrit or Shubh Choghadiya slot that does not overlap with the inauspicious period.

The three periods together occupy about 4.5 hours of the standard 12-hour day (3 × 1.5 hours). The remaining 7.5 hours are available for new starts, subject to the full Panchang analysis.

> Answer capsule: The three daily inauspicious periods (Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda, Gulika) together consume approximately 4.5 hours of the 12-hour day. The remaining 7.5 hours are clear for new starts, subject to Choghadiya and full Panchang analysis. For most people, at least one favorable window of 90+ minutes remains available each day after filtering all three periods.

---

1. What time is Rahu Kalam today in my city? Rahu Kalam timing depends on your city's local sunrise and the day of the week. AstroSight's Panchang at /panchang calculates the exact Rahu Kalam for any Indian city today.

2. If I start travel just before Rahu Kalam, is it okay to continue during Rahu Kalam? Yes. The restriction is on beginning travel during Rahu Kalam — not on traveling through it. If you depart before Rahu Kalam begins, continuing your journey through the Rahu Kalam period does not require stopping.

3. Can I eat or drink during Rahu Kalam? Yes. Routine activities — meals, bathing, conversations, ongoing work — are not restricted by Rahu Kalam. Only new auspicious beginnings are avoided.

4. Does Rahu Kalam apply to online activities like launching a website? Yes. A website launch, app release, or digital product launch is treated the same as any other new business activity. Avoid initiating these during Rahu Kalam.

5. Is Rahu Kalam observed outside India? Vedic astrologers and Hindu communities globally observe Rahu Kalam wherever Vedic tradition is practiced — including Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and among the Indian diaspora. The calculation uses local sunrise for the city of observation.

6. What if Rahu Kalam falls during a pre-planned ceremony? When a ceremony date is fixed by an outside authority (a court date, a government office appointment), the traditional guidance is to perform a brief prayer to Rahu — acknowledging his influence — and proceed with the activity. The ideal is prevention through planning; when unavoidable, a protective mantra is the traditional solution.

7. Is Sunday's Rahu Kalam especially problematic? Sunday's Rahu Kalam falls in the 8th slot — the last 90 minutes of the day (around 4:30–6 PM for standard cities). This is often a time when people plan evening outings, social events, or new-week preparations. The late-afternoon timing makes Sunday Rahu Kalam one of the most commonly encountered in social planning.

8. Can I go to the bank during Rahu Kalam? For routine banking — deposits, withdrawals, checking balance — yes, these can proceed. For opening a new account, starting a new fixed deposit, or signing a new financial agreement, wait until Rahu Kalam ends.

9. What is the difference between Rahu Kalam and a Rahu transit? Rahu Kalam is a daily 90-minute inauspicious period based on a fixed weekday formula. A Rahu transit (Rahu moving from one zodiac sign to another) is a long-duration astrological event lasting approximately 18 months. They are completely different concepts — Rahu Kalam is a daily timing tool; Rahu transit is a long-term astrological event.

10. Does Rahu Kalam affect me differently based on my birth chart? The general avoidance applies to everyone. However, if Rahu is strongly placed in your birth chart or if you are currently running a Rahu Mahadasha or Antardasha, the caution during Rahu Kalam is particularly emphasized for you personally. Use the /birth-chart-calculator to check your Rahu placement.