Introduction
In many homes in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, the question before starting something new is: "Which choghadiya is running now?" Whether it is opening a shop, bringing home a new vehicle or leaving on a journey, families often look for an Amrit, Shubh or Labh choghadiya.
The word comes from "chaar ghadi", four ghatis. One ghati is 24 minutes, so four make about 96 minutes, a little over an hour and a half. The day is divided into eight such parts, and the night into eight more.
Let us be clear from the start: choghadiya is a later, regional tradition. It is not found in classical muhurta texts such as the Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi. Even so, millions of families follow it with affection, and whether to follow it is entirely your family's choice.
How choghadiya is computed
The method is simple:
- Take the time from sunrise to sunset in your city (the day length) and divide it into 8 equal parts. These are the 8 day choghadiyas.
- Divide the time from sunset to the next sunrise (the night length) into 8 parts as well. These are the 8 night choghadiyas.
In summer the day is long, so a day choghadiya runs longer than an hour and a half and a night one shorter; in winter the reverse. That is why choghadiya is always computed from your city's sunrise and sunset for that date; another city's times will not fit.
The first part of the day belongs to the weekday's lord: on Sunday the Sun (Udveg), Monday the Moon (Amrit), Tuesday Mars (Rog), Wednesday Mercury (Labh), Thursday Jupiter (Shubh), Friday Venus (Char) and Saturday Saturn (Kaal). The rest follow the planetary order of the horas: Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars. The eighth part repeats the first.
The seven choghadiyas and their planets
| Choghadiya | Planet | What tradition holds |
|---|---|---|
| Amrit | Moon | liked for beginning any good work |
| Shubh | Jupiter | worship, study, marriage talks |
| Labh | Mercury | trade, money matters, starting study |
| Char | Venus | travel and errands |
| Udveg | Sun | tradition avoids starting new work |
| Kaal | Saturn | tradition avoids starting new work |
| Rog | Mars | tradition avoids starting new work |
Some families consider Udveg fine for government work, since it is linked with the Sun. Small local differences like this exist in every region.
The night choghadiyas
The order of the eight night parts differs from the day. The first night part belongs to the lord of the fifth weekday counted from the day. For Sunday night: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, so the first part is Jupiter's, Shubh. Each following part then belongs to the lord of the fifth weekday from the previous one. Sunday night runs: Shubh, Amrit, Char, Rog, Kaal, Labh, Udveg, and Shubh again.
There is no need to memorise this. ePandit's panchang shows every day and night choghadiya, with times, for your city.
Udveg, Kaal and Rog: a calm reading
These three names worry many people. All they mean is this: tradition avoids starting new work in these windows.
- "Rog" is only an old name. Nobody falls ill because of this choghadiya.
- "Kaal" here simply means a stretch of time; it is not a warning of anything.
- In these windows eating, work, study, travel, worship and all household tasks go on as usual.
All three come every day, because three of the seven choghadiyas are these. If something necessary has to happen then, such as going to hospital or catching a train, do it without worry. For health, the doctor is always the first help; no choghadiya asks you to wait.
Choghadiya and the full panchang
A classical muhurta looks at the tithi, weekday, nakshatra, yoga, karana and lagna. Choghadiya does not replace them. Many families ask the pandit for a full muhurta for major ceremonies such as a wedding or griha-pravesh, and look at the choghadiya for small everyday beginnings such as a new purchase or setting out on a trip.
The planetary order of the choghadiyas is borrowed from the horas. You can read about hora on its own page, and about Rahu kaal, which is a separate South Indian tradition.