The Inauspicious Window · Avoid New Beginnings
Rahu Kaal Today — with Yamaganda & Gulika
The ~90-minute inauspicious window every day — ruled by Rahu, the planet of obstacles — that traditional muhurat practice asks you to avoid for any new beginning. Plus the two companion inauspicious periods, Yamaganda Kaal and Gulika Kaal.
Rahu Kaal for your date & city
Of all the muhurat tools in everyday Indian life, Rahu Kaal is the most widely consulted — even in households that pay no other attention to astrology. Office workers will reschedule a meeting to avoid it. Travelling families will delay departure by 30 minutes to clear it. Property buyers will time the registration deed signing around it. Eighty years of habit have settled the practice deeply into North Indian work and family rhythm.
Rahu Kaal Times by Weekday (Approximate)
Approximate Rahu Kaal slots for Delhi assuming roughly 6:00 AM sunrise. Your exact times shift with sunrise — use the calculator above for your precise city and date.
| Weekday | Approx. Rahu Kaal (Delhi) | Slot Position (of 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 4:30 PM — 6:00 PM | 8th (last before sunset) |
| Monday | 7:30 AM — 9:00 AM | 2nd |
| Tuesday | 3:00 PM — 4:30 PM | 7th |
| Wednesday | 12:00 PM — 1:30 PM | 5th |
| Thursday | 1:30 PM — 3:00 PM | 6th |
| Friday | 10:30 AM — 12:00 PM | 4th |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM — 10:30 AM | 3rd |
A useful memory aid: Mother Saw Father Wearing The Turban Suit — Monday-2, Saturday-3, Friday-4, Wednesday-5, Thursday-6, Tuesday-7, Sunday-8. Once you know the slot, you know the window.
What To Avoid During Rahu Kaal
Avoid Starting
- Business launches — opening a shop, signing a partnership, registering a company
- Marriage ceremonies — the marriage muhurat itself, civil registration, ring exchange
- Important journeys — new long-distance travel, pilgrimage, foreign departure
- Contracts & signings — property deeds, employment contracts, large loans, financial agreements
- Medical procedures — elective surgery, major treatments, prescription start (non-emergency)
- Large purchases — vehicle, property, jewellery, anything significant
- New first-time meetings — job interviews, sales pitches, first dates, first impressions
- Religious vows — starting a 43-day Lal Kitab upay, beginning a fast, new puja sequence
Perfectly Fine
- Continuing ongoing work — existing projects, daily routines, work already in progress
- Eating, sleeping, resting — basic biological needs, no muhurat applies
- Routine commutes — daily office travel, school runs, regular short trips
- Domestic chores — cooking, cleaning, laundry, regular household maintenance
- Existing relationships — conversations with established business partners, family calls
- Returning home — the return leg of any journey is unaffected
- Emergency action — medical emergencies, urgent intervention — muhurat does not block urgency
- Learning & reading — books, online courses, anything contemplative rather than action-launching
The Three Inauspicious Periods
Beyond Rahu Kaal, Vedic muhurat names two more inauspicious daily windows. The premium muhurat decision — for a wedding muhurat or major surgical date — avoids all three.
| Period | Ruled By | Severity | What It Affects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahu Kaal | Rahu (north lunar node) | High — most observed | All new beginnings; obstacles and sudden reversals |
| Yamaganda Kaal | Yama (god of death) | High — serious matters | Death-related, journey-related, health-related new beginnings |
| Gulika Kaal | Gulika (Saturn’s son) | Moderate | General undertakings; milder than Rahu Kaal and Yamaganda |
How Rahu Kaal Is Calculated
- Find the local sunrise time for the date.
- Find the local sunset time.
- Divide daylight (sunrise to sunset) into 8 equal parts.
- Pick the slot for the weekday: Sunday=8th slot, Monday=2nd, Tuesday=7th, Wednesday=5th, Thursday=6th, Friday=4th, Saturday=3rd.
- That slot’s start and end are the Rahu Kaal boundaries.
Because daylight length varies by date and latitude, each slot has a slightly different duration — typically 70-100 minutes. In summer Rahu Kaal is longer; in winter shorter. The calculator above uses Prokerala’s precise astronomical engine to give you the exact boundaries for your city.
Common Misconceptions
- “Rahu Kaal blocks everything for 90 minutes.” No — only new beginnings. Routine continuation is fine.
- “Rahu Kaal is the same everywhere in India.” No — sunrise differs by city, so Rahu Kaal differs. Mumbai’s Rahu Kaal can be 30 minutes shifted from Delhi’s.
- “Avoiding Rahu Kaal is enough for major muhurat.” For a wedding or surgery, also check the Choghadiya and the premium muhurta windows. Triple-confirm the auspicious overlap.
- “If I forget and start something during Rahu Kaal, my venture is doomed.” No — muhurat is preventive guidance, not deterministic prophecy. If you discover after the fact, perform a brief intentional “restart” gesture at the next auspicious window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I have an unavoidable meeting during Rahu Kaal?
Attend the meeting normally — routine ongoing business is fine. Treat the meeting itself as a continuation, not a new beginning. If it is a first-time meeting with a new client, you can mentally postpone the “real introduction” until the Rahu Kaal clears — resume the substantive discussion afterwards.
Is Rahu Kaal observed only by Hindus?
It is a Hindu tradition rooted in Vedic muhurat. People of other faiths often observe it culturally in India simply because the practice is so embedded in regional life. There is no religious requirement; the avoidance is practical-superstitious in nature, not doctrinal.
Can I have a baby delivered during Rahu Kaal?
The baby’s birth itself is not under your control, so muhurat does not apply — the timing is what it is, and the chart reading happens whenever the baby actually arrives. For elective caesarean scheduling, traditional muhurat practitioners do avoid Rahu Kaal and prefer Amrit Choghadiya. Discuss with both your doctor and an astrologer if both are important to you.
Does Rahu Kaal apply at night too?
The classical Rahu Kaal is a daytime period (sunrise to sunset). There is a related “night Rahu Kaal” calculation in some traditions but it is much less observed. For practical muhurat decisions, day-time Rahu Kaal is what matters.
Are Yamaganda and Gulika Kaal as strict as Rahu Kaal?
Most people observe Rahu Kaal strictly and treat Yamaganda and Gulika as additional avoid-windows when convenient. For premium muhurat decisions (a wedding, a surgery, a foundation-stone laying), strict practitioners avoid all three.
Should I check Rahu Kaal every day or only for major decisions?
Major decisions only. Daily life does not need Rahu Kaal observation. The principle is: when you are about to do something that significantly changes the trajectory of your life or work, check it. For ordinary commuting and routine meetings, the practice is unnecessary.
Plan Around the Inauspicious Windows
Use the calculator above to schedule your important activities outside Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika. Combine with our Choghadiya and Muhurta tools for complete muhurat coverage.