Upcoming
Rahu Kaal
Starts
3:40 PM
Ends
4:56 PM
Inauspicious Period
Rahu Kaal in Sunnyvale — 17 November 2030
Rahu Kaal for Sunnyvale, California on 17 November 2030. Change the date from the strip below.
About
What is Rahu Kaal?
Rahu Kaal, also written Rahu Kalam or Rahukalam, is one of the most widely observed inauspicious periods of the Hindu day. It comes every day and lasts roughly an hour and a half. By tradition, nothing new or auspicious is started in it. It is one of three such daily windows: the other two are Yamagandam and Gulika Kalam, each also one of the day’s eight parts.
Rahu is one of the nine grahas, the Navagraha of Vedic astrology. He is a chhaya graha (shadow planet): a lunar node, not a physical body. Jyotisha links him with confusion, illusion, obstacles and sudden setbacks. So the part of each day under Rahu is not auspicious for beginnings.
How is Rahu Kaal calculated?
Rahu Kaal is worked out by dividing the time between sunrise and sunset into eight equal parts. One of those eight parts belongs to Rahu, and which one depends on the day of the week. The first part after sunrise is never Rahu Kaal.
The calculation follows local sunrise and sunset. So the start time and length of Rahu Kaal change from city to city and season to season. The window is longer on long summer days and shorter in winter. So look it up for your own place and date, rather than relying on a fixed clock time.
- Sunday: 8th part of the day (late afternoon)
- Monday: 2nd part (early morning)
- Tuesday: 7th part (mid-afternoon)
- Wednesday: 5th part (starting at midday)
- Thursday: 6th part (early afternoon)
- Friday: 4th part (late morning)
- Saturday: 3rd part (mid-morning)
What to avoid during Rahu Kaal
Rahu Kaal is watched for the start of important or auspicious undertakings. Work already in progress, daily routine and anything begun before Rahu Kaal starts are not affected. Tradition cautions against beginnings; what is already under way can go on.
- Starting a new business, venture or investment
- Beginning a journey or travel
- Weddings, engagements and other auspicious ceremonies
- Signing contracts or important agreements
- Griha Pravesh (house-warming) and buying property
- Purchasing gold, vehicles or other valuables
What may still be done in Rahu Kaal
Ongoing tasks, daily duties, medical emergencies and anything that cannot be put off go ahead as usual in Rahu Kaal. Some devotees who must begin something in this window first chant the Rahu beej mantra or recite a Durga or Hanuman stotra.
Some traditions hold that puja to Rahu himself, or to Goddess Durga, is not affected by Rahu Kaal. In parts of South India, Rahu Kaal is the chosen time for some Durga and Rahu pujas.
Local Panchang
Choose Your City
Rahu Kaal times change with each city's sunrise and sunset. Pick your city to get its local timing.
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FAQ
Rahu Kaal in Sunnyvale — 17 November 2030: Frequently Asked Questions
Rahu Kaal, also called Rahu Kalam, is a daily window of about 90 minutes that tradition counts as inauspicious. It is ruled by the shadow planet Rahu. It comes on every day of the week, in a slot fixed by the weekday.
Rahu Kaal is exactly one-eighth of the time between sunrise and sunset. That is roughly 1.5 hours (about 90 minutes) near the equinox, longer on long summer days and shorter in winter. Its length and start time both change with your local sunrise and sunset.
Monday, Saturday and Friday. Monday’s is the earliest, the 2nd part of the day; Saturday’s is the 3rd part and Friday’s the 4th. Sunday’s is the latest, in the late afternoon (the 8th and final part). The clock time still depends on your local sunrise and sunset.
Traditional Hindu practice is to hold back from starting a journey, signing a contract or beginning auspicious work during Rahu Kaal. Wait until it ends. If you set out before Rahu Kaal began, it is generally fine to carry on.
