Panchāngam
How our Panchāngam is calculated
Last reviewed: 12 August 2026
The daily Panchāngam and muhūrta guidance on this site are computed for the San Francisco Bay Area in the spirit of a traditional almanac — no vague predictions, no sensational astrology, no advertising and no tracking. This page explains exactly how the figures are produced, so you can judge them for what they are.
What we compute
For each day we calculate the five limbs of the Panchāngam — tithi, nakṣatra, yoga and karaṇa, together with the vāra (weekday) — along with sunrise and sunset, the inauspicious periods (Rāhu Kālam, Yamagaṇḍam, Guḷika Kālam and Durmuhūrtam) and the auspicious ones (Brahma Muhūrta and Abhijit, when observed), plus festival and vratam dates.
Convention and ayanāṃśa
We follow the Drik (observation-based) convention, using the Lahiri (Chitrapakṣa) ayanāṃśa — the most widely used sidereal reference in South Indian practice. Tithi, nakṣatra, yoga and karaṇa are derived from the true (apparent) longitudes of the Sun and Moon corrected by the ayanāṃśa.
Astronomy
Solar and lunar positions are computed from established astronomical formulae (based on Jean Meeus’ Astronomical Algorithms). Sunrise and sunset use the standard NOAA solar-position method. The daily “kālam” periods (Rāhu, Yama, Guḷika) are derived in the traditional way — the daytime from sunrise to sunset is divided into eight parts, and the relevant part is assigned by weekday.
Location and time
- Location: calculated for Bay Area coordinates (near Pleasanton/Fremont). Timings shift by only a minute or two across the immediate Bay Area.
- Timezone: America/Los_Angeles, with daylight saving handled automatically.
- Display: times render in your own device’s local time. If you are viewing from another timezone, they will appear in that timezone rather than Pacific time.
Why observances can differ
Two careful almanacs can legitimately differ. Festival dates and observances vary by location, sampradāya and the exact timing of the relevant tithi (for example, whether a tithi is current at sunrise, at midday or at moonrise). Where a date commonly differs, please treat this calendar as Bay Area guidance and confirm important observances with Gurukkal.
Automated guidance is not a personal muhūrtam
This is the most important point. The tool gives preliminary guidance — it is not a muhūrtam personally selected by Sri Kumar Gurukkal, and no date shown here should be read as “approved” by him. For a wedding, gṛiha praveśam or any important ceremony, the exact muhūrtam must be confirmed with Gurukkal, who considers the family’s birth details, the ceremony and your tradition.
Accuracy and corrections
The engine’s festival output has been checked against a traditional Drik reference and matches closely. Even so, an almanac is a serious thing: we warmly welcome review by qualified Panchāngam scholars, and we will correct anything found to be wrong. Please see Corrections & contributions.