Rahu Kaal Today in Varanasi
4 May 2026, Monday
Uttar Pradesh · 25.3176°N, 82.9739°E
Rahu Kaal Timing
Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes
Calculated from Varanasi's local sunrise (05:19 AM) and sunset (06:30 PM). Monday = second segment after sunrise.
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Chat with AI Astrologer — FreeWhat is Rahu Kaal?
Rahu Kaal (also spelled Rahu Kalam) is a daily ~1.5-hour window considered inauspicious for starting new activities in Vedic tradition. It is one of the eight equal segments between sunrise and sunset, with the specific slot determined by the day of the week. The window shifts each day with sunrise, so Varanasi's exact Rahu Kaal differs by minutes from neighbouring cities.
The traditional rule is documented in the Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra and codified for muhurta selection in the Muhurta Chintamani. During Rahu Kaal, avoid starting weddings, signing major contracts, big purchases, or important journeys. Ongoing work, daily routines, mantra chanting, and devotional practice are unaffected.
Today's Other Inauspicious Timings in Varanasi
Yamagandam, Gulika Kalam and other inauspicious windows for today, alongside Rahu Kaal. These follow their own day-of-week slot rules.
Gulikai Kalam:
10:33 PM to 09:12 PM
Yamaganda:
01:15 AM to 11:54 PM
Vidaal Yoga:
10:33 PM to 09:12 PM
Dur Muhurtam:
12:59 AM to 01:47 AM
Bhadra:
12:59 AM to 10:49 PM
Rahu Kaal by Weekday
Is Rahu Kaal Good or Bad? What Should You Do?
Activities to avoid
- ⚠Weddings, engagement ceremonies, and griha pravesh
- ⚠Signing major contracts, joining a new job, or business launches
- ⚠Large purchases — gold, vehicles, property, electronics
- ⚠Starting a new course of study or first day of school
- ⚠Beginning long-distance travel for important purposes
- ⚠Filing key applications (visa, loan, examination) for the first time
- ⚠Investing fresh capital in stocks, mutual funds, or new ventures
- ⚠Buying a new wallet, opening a bank account, or initiating financial relationships
Permitted & encouraged
- ✓Continuing ongoing work — Rahu Kaal does not pause work already in progress
- ✓Daily routines — eating, sleeping, bathing, household chores
- ✓Mantra chanting and devotional practice (especially Durga, Bhairav, and Rahu mantras)
- ✓Light reading, study revision, and memorisation of existing material
- ✓Routine medical care and health check-ups
- ✓Returning home from travel (the rule applies to starting new things, not finishing them)
- ✓Emergency action — life and safety always override muhurat considerations
How Rahu Kaal is Calculated for Varanasi
Rahu Kaal is one-eighth of the time between local sunrise and sunset. Varanasi's exact coordinates (25.3176°N, 82.9739°E) determine the local sunrise, which sets the entire day's slot grid.
- Today's sunrise in Varanasi: 05:19 AM, sunset: 06:30 PM.
- Daylight is divided into 8 equal segments of approximately 1 hour 39 minutes each.
- Today is Monday, so Rahu Kaal occupies the 2th segment.
- The slot starts at 06:58 AM and ends at 08:37 AM — Varanasi's precise window for today.
This is why a city's Rahu Kaal differs from another's, even within the same state — sunrise shifts with longitude. Two cities at the same latitude but different longitudes will see Rahu Kaal start at different wall-clock times.
Rahu Kaal vs Yamagandam vs Gulika Kalam
Three time-bands feature in classical muhurta selection. Rahu Kaal is the most universally observed — Yamagandam is consulted especially for travel, and Gulika Kalam is used in selecting auspicious times for important rites.
| Window | Ruler |
|---|---|
| Rahu Kaal | Rahu (north lunar node) |
| Yamagandam | Yama (lord of dharma and death) |
| Gulika Kalam | Gulika (sub-shadow of Saturn) |
Common Myths & Clarifications
Myth: Rahu Kaal will ruin a good day or override an auspicious muhurat.
Rahu Kaal is a "do not initiate" window, not a "doom" window. A pre-existing favourable muhurat retains its strength; one only avoids starting new work during the Rahu Kaal hour and a half.
Myth: You cannot travel at all during Rahu Kaal.
A long journey already underway continues normally. Only the act of beginning a new important journey is traditionally avoided. Daily commutes are unaffected.
Myth: Rahu Kaal is the same time every day.
Rahu Kaal shifts with the day of the week and with the local sunrise/sunset. The exact window in your city may differ by 5–15 minutes from a neighbouring city, and by an hour or more across India east-to-west.
Myth: Online activities — clicking "buy now" or signing forms digitally — escape Rahu Kaal.
Traditional muhurta scholars treat the moment of intent and commitment as the muhurta-defining act, regardless of medium. The convention applies to digital transactions too.
Remedies and Devotional Practice
Classical texts recommend specific remedies during Rahu Kaal — chanting the Rahu Beej Mantra, lighting a ghee lamp, donating black sesame and urad dal, and reciting Durga Saptashati or Bhairav stotras. The exact practice varies with one's natal chart, current dasha period, and intent.
For remedies tailored to your specific birth chart and the Rahu transit affecting you in Varanasi, consult an experienced Vedic astrologer rather than applying generic advice.
Need personalised Rahu Kaal remedies for Varanasi?
Free first consultation with our AI Astrologer. Get muhurat advice for weddings, business launches, and major decisions, tuned to your birth chart and Varanasi timings.
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Dr. Meenakshi Sharma
PhD in Vedic Astrology • 20+ Years Experience
Distinguished Vedic astrologer specializing in natal chart analysis, predictive astrology, and Vedic remedial measures. Trusted by thousands for accurate Rahu Kaal interpretations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Rahu Kaal in Varanasi today?
Today's Rahu Kaal in Varanasi is shown in the timing block at the top of this page, calculated from Varanasi's exact sunrise and sunset. The window is the fifth of eight equal daylight segments on Wednesday, the second on Monday, and so on — see the weekday table below for the full schedule.
What is the time period of Rahu Kaal?
Rahu Kaal lasts approximately one and a half hours, but the exact duration varies by season and location. It is precisely one-eighth of the time between local sunrise and sunset. In summer it can stretch to 100+ minutes; in winter it shortens to around 85 minutes. The day-of-week determines which of the eight slots Rahu Kaal occupies.
Is Rahu Kaal good or bad?
Rahu Kaal is traditionally considered inauspicious for starting new ventures — weddings, business launches, major purchases, important journeys, signing contracts. It is not a "danger" window in the everyday sense; ongoing work, daily routines, mantra chanting, and devotional practice are unaffected. The Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra describes Rahu as a shadow planet whose influence dilutes the auspicious quality of new beginnings.
What should I do in Rahu Kaal?
During Rahu Kaal, avoid initiating significant new activities (weddings, contracts, large purchases, fresh travel for major purposes). You may safely continue ongoing work, attend to daily routines, perform mantra recitation (the Rahu Beej Mantra and Durga Saptashati are traditionally recommended), study existing material, and handle emergencies. For personalised guidance based on your birth chart, consult an experienced Vedic astrologer.
Rahu Kaal in Nearby Cities
Related Panchang Information
- Full Panchang for Varanasi today — Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, all auspicious and inauspicious timings.
- National Panchang — pick any location for a custom Panchang reading.
- Rahu Kaal hub — find Rahu Kaal for any of the 100 cities.
Reviewed by Dr. Meenakshi Sharma, PhD in Vedic Astrology. Last updated: Monday, 4 May 2026. Calculations follow the standard Vedic eight-fold daylight division as documented in the Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra and Muhurta Chintamani.