Choghadiya Today: How to Read the Auspicious Time Table

Choghadiya is a Vedic timing system that divides the daytime (sunrise to sunset) and the night (sunset to the next sunrise) into eight equal slots each, and gives every slot one of seven names. Amrit, Shubh, Labh and Char are the auspicious ones; Udveg, Rog and Kaal are the inauspicious ones. To read today's table, find the weekday, look at the day or night row, and choose an auspicious slot for whatever you are starting: a journey, a purchase, a puja, a new job. The order of names follows a fixed planetary cycle, so the pattern is identical everywhere. Only the clock times shift with your city's sunrise and sunset.

What is Choghadiya and how does it work?

The word is commonly explained as chau-ghadiya, roughly "four ghadis", a ghadi being a traditional Indian unit of about 24 minutes. In practice a choghadiya slot is simply one-eighth of the day or one-eighth of the night, so on a 12-hour day each slot lasts close to 90 minutes, and in longer summer days it stretches a little more. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and much of north and west India check it casually before leaving home, signing papers, opening a shop or starting a puja.

Each slot is ruled by one of the planets, and the planet decides whether the slot is considered friendly (shubh) or unfriendly (ashubh) for fresh beginnings. Think of it as a quick daily weather check for time. It is not a replacement for a full muhurat, which also weighs tithi, nakshatra and your own chart, but it is the fastest first filter you can use.

What are the seven Choghadiya and what does each one mean?

What is the day Choghadiya table for each weekday?

Read down the column for today's weekday. Slot 1 starts at sunrise and slot 8 ends at sunset.

Which Choghadiya is best for travel, business, marriage or puja?

• Travel or a long drive: Char is the traditional pick, with Amrit and Labh as good alternatives. Avoid starting a journey in Rog or Kaal where you have a choice.
• Starting a shop, business or new job: Labh and Amrit. Labh literally means profit and is the favourite of traders.
• Puja, havan, sacred ceremonies and marriage rites: Shubh, ruled by Jupiter, is the classic choice, and Amrit works for almost anything.
• Signing documents, buying something significant, starting a course: Amrit, Labh or Shubh. If the day offers none close by, pick the nearest auspicious slot rather than forcing an unfriendly one.
• Government offices and official matters: Udveg is associated with government-related work in Drik's list, but most people still prefer to begin in an auspicious slot when they can.
• Things best deferred: a new venture, a loan, or an important purchase during Kaal. When timing is not under your control, such as an emergency, simply act; choghadiya is a guide for planned beginnings, not a reason for delay.

What about Rahu Kaal, Vaar Vela, Kaal Vela and Kaal Ratri?

Choghadiya is one layer of timing, and other periods can overlap it. Drik Panchang advises avoiding an auspicious choghadiya that overlaps Rahu Kaal, and notes that some traditions, especially in South India, give Rahu Kaal great weight. It also says that Vaar Vela, Kaal Vela (both daytime) and Kaal Ratri (at night) should be rejected when choosing a time, because auspicious work begun in them is not considered fruitful.

The practical method is to pick an auspicious choghadiya first, then check it does not collide with Rahu Kaal for that day. If it does, take the next auspicious slot. Daanyam's Rahu Kaal page gives the daily window for your location.

Is a good Choghadiya enough for a wedding, griha pravesh or vehicle purchase?

No. Choghadiya is a daily quick filter. For major events, a full muhurat looks at tithi, nakshatra, weekday, yoga and the time of day together, and sometimes at the family's charts. A wedding, for example, is fixed from a shortlist of suitable dates first, and choghadiya only helps with the hour on the day itself.