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{{Short description|Inauspicious time period in Hindu astrology}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2020}}

In [[Hindu astrology]], '''rāhukāla''' ({{Langx|sa|राहुकाल|lit=period of Rahu}}) or '''rāhukālam''' ({{Langx|sa|राहुकालम्|translit=Rāhukālaṃ}}) is an inauspicious period of the day,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grimes |first=John A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qcoUFYOX0bEC&dq=R%C4%81huk%C4%81la&pg=PA253 |title=A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English |date=1996-01-01 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=978-0-7914-3067-5 |pages=253 |language=en}}</ref> not considered favourable to start any good deed. The rāhukāla spans for approximately 90 minutes every day between sunrise and sunset.

This inauspicious period is strictly avoided while calculating [[Muhurta|muhurtas]]. However, routine tasks that have already been started are regarded to be permissible to continue as usual during this period.<ref name="TOI">{{Cite news|last=Narayanam|first=A. Sathya|date=2017-12-14|title=What is Rahu Kaal and Timing of Rahu Kaal Every Day|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/planets-transits/what-is-rahu-kaal-and-timing-of-rahu-kaal-every-day/articleshow/68205891.cms|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=2020-12-06}}</ref>

== Astrology==
{{Main|Rahu|Ketu (mythology)}}
===Mythology===
[[Rahu]] is a shadow planet and king of [[meteors]] among the [[Navagraha]]s (nine [[Classical planet|planets]]) mentioned in [[Hindu texts]].<ref name=dalalnavagr>{{cite book|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|pages=280, 324}}</ref> During the legend known as the [[Samudra manthan|Samudra Manthana]], an [[asura]] named [[Svarbhanu]], disguised as a [[Deva (Hinduism)|deva]], appears and drinks the nectar of immortality, [[amrita]]. Svarbhanu later gets caught and is cut into two pieces by [[Vishnu]]'s discus, the [[Sudarshan Chakra|Sudarshana Chakra]]. These two pieces became [[Rahu]] and [[Ketu (mythology)|Ketu]].

Rahu is considered a malefic planet that tries to [[Grahana|eclipse]] the Sun, and the time it is believed to influence is considered inauspicious.<ref name="Stella">{{cite book|last1=Kramrisch|first1=Stella|last2=Burnier|first2=Raymond|title=The Hindu temple|volume=2|pages=325–6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8-aS52MgIkMC&dq=svarbhanu&pg=PA325 | isbn=978-81-208-0224-7 | year=1976 | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ.}}</ref>

===Calculation===
The rāhukāla is considered in a predefined manner during set times on the different days of the week, but can vary as per the time of sunrise as well. Its instances vary from place to place.<ref name="TOI"/> The timing of sunrise is marked in the [[panchang|panchangam]] (almanac) and 12 hours of the day is divided into eight equal parts (say 06:00 a.m. IST to 6:00 p.m. IST). The period of rāhukāla does not occur in the first part of the day and the rest of the seven parts are attributed to other different parts of the day.<ref name="TOI"/> Contemporarily:

* Monday: 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m. (2nd part)
* Tuesday: 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. (7th part)
* Wednesday: 12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. (5th part)
* Thursday: 1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (6th part)
* Friday: 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (4th part)
* Saturday: 9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. (3rd part)
* Sunday: 4:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. (8th part)

== See also ==
* [[Grahana]]
* [[Svarbhānu|Svarbhanu]]
* [[Rahu]]
* [[Ketu (mythology)]]
* [[Jyotiṣa]]
* [[Navagraha]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Hindu astronomy]]
[[Category:Hindu astrology]]

Rāhukāla - Revision history

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