What Is the Panchang?
The Hindu Panchang (पञ्चाङ्ग, "five limbs") is a traditional almanac used across South Asia to determine auspicious times for religious rituals, weddings, travel, and business. The five elements (limbs) are:
- Tithi: Lunar day (30 in a lunar month)
- Vara: Day of the week
- Nakshatra: Lunar mansion (27 segments of the sky)
- Yoga: A combination of solar and lunar longitudes (27 types)
- Karana: Half of a tithi (11 types)
Lunisolar Structure
Hindu calendars are lunisolar. Months follow the Moon, while the year is corrected with leap months (Adhika Masa or Purushottama Masa) to stay aligned with the sun. There are two main traditions:
- Amanta: Month ends on the new moon (used in southern India, Maharashtra, Gujarat)
- Purnimanta: Month ends on the full moon (used in northern India)
Regional Calendar Systems
India has an extraordinary diversity of regional calendars:
- Vikram Samvat (विक्रम संवत्): 57 years ahead of CE; New Year in spring; used in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh
- Shaka Samvat: India's national calendar (78 years behind CE); used in government publications
- Bengali Calendar (বাংলা সন): Solar calendar, New Year (Pohela Boishakh) in mid-April
- Tamil Calendar (தமிழ் நாள்காட்டி): Solar calendar; Tamil New Year (Puthandu) in mid-April
- Malayalam Calendar (Kollam Era): Solar; New Year (Vishu) in mid-April
Major Festivals
- Diwali: 15th day of Kartik (October/November)
- Holi: Full moon of Phalguna (February/March)
- Navaratri: First 9 days of Ashwin
- Dussehra: 10th day of Ashwin
- Makar Sankranti: Solar event marking the sun's transit into Capricorn (January 14)
Muhurta — Auspicious Timing
A core function of the Panchang is calculating Muhurta — auspicious time windows for important activities. Astrologers combine tithi, nakshatra, and planetary positions to identify the most favorable moments, reflecting how Hindu culture integrates cosmic time into daily decision-making.