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The Fundamentals
What Is a Panchangam? The 5 Clocks of Indian Timekeeping
The 5 LimbsTithi Explained: The 30 Lunar Phases of the Panchangam
The Day's WindowsRahu Kalam Explained: What It Actually Is (And Isn't)
Fasts & ObservancesEkadashi Fasting & Parana: The 11th Lunar Phase Science
Systems & ScienceVakya vs. Drik: The Great Indian Almanac Debate Explained
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Recently updated guides and reference articles
Timing: Dashas, Transits and Ashtakavarga
How the 27 Star Lords Repeat: Why the 1st, 10th and 19th Stars Share a Lord
Timing: Dashas, Transits and AshtakavargaSub-Periods Down to Prana: One Rule at Every Level of the Dasha
Timing: Dashas, Transits and AshtakavargaBhukti Dates: the 360-Day Shortcut or the 365.25-Day Year
Timing: Dashas, Transits and AshtakavargaWhere the Dasha Starts: the Moon's Star or the Strongest Star
Timing: Dashas, Transits and AshtakavargaA Good Dasha Needs Strength, Not Only Friendship
Timing: Dashas, Transits and AshtakavargaWhen Results Arrive in a Dasha: Start, Middle or End by the Lord's Sign
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The 5 Limbs of Panchangam(5)
The 5 Limbs
Tithi Explained: The 30 Lunar Phases of the Panchangam
The 5 LimbsVara Explained: The 7 Solar Days and Planetary Rulers
The 5 LimbsNakshatra Explained: The 27 Lunar Mansions of the Sky
The 5 LimbsYoga Explained: The 27 Soli-Lunar Harmonics of Panchangam
The 5 LimbsKarana Explained: Half-Tithis and Action Windows in Panchangam
Auspicious Hours & Sacred Windows(5)
Auspicious Windows
Brahma Muhurtham Explained: The Pre-Dawn Golden Window
Auspicious WindowsAbhijit Muhurtham Explained: The Midday Victory Window
Auspicious WindowsShubha Horai Explained: The 24-Hour Planetary Hour Cycle
Auspicious WindowsDurmuhurtham & Varjyam: Understanding Inauspicious Friction Windows
Auspicious Windows & MuhurthamThe Seven Nakshatra Classes: What the Muhurtha Books Actually Say
Eclipses & Celestial Junctions(4)
Eclipses & Junctions
Grahanam Explained: The Astronomy of Solar & Lunar Eclipses
Eclipses & JunctionsSankranti Explained: Solar Ingress into the 12 Zodiac Signs
Eclipses & JunctionsUttarayana & Dakshinayana: The Sun's North-South Journey
Eclipses & JunctionsKari Naal & Adverse Solar Days: The Physics of Critical Transit Points
Astronomical Fasts & Observances(9)
Fasts & Observances
Ekadashi Fasting & Parana: The 11th Lunar Phase Science
Fasts & ObservancesPradosham Explained: The Sacred Sunset Twilight Window
Fasts & ObservancesAmavasya & Pournami: The Astronomical Extremes of Lunar Syzygy
Fasts & ObservancesSankatahara Chaturthi: The Moonrise Calculation Mystery
Fasts & ObservancesThai Pongal & Makara Sankranti: Solar Ingress, Science & Rituals
Fasts & ObservancesPuthandu (Tamil New Year): Mesha Sankranti, Vishu Kani & Rituals
Fasts & ObservancesDeepavali & Ganga Snanam: Arunodaya Oil Bath, Science & Rituals
Fasts & ObservancesKarthigai Deepam: Cosmic Pillar of Fire, Krittika Star & Agal Vilakku
Fasts & ObservancesTamil Festivals & Sacred Observances: The Master Nirnaya Guide
Across India & the Diaspora(4)
Across India & the Diaspora
Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Puthandu, Vishu, Baisakhi: Why India's New Years Fall on Different Days
Across India & the DiasporaWhy Is Ekadashi (or Diwali) a Day Earlier in the USA? Festival Dates Outside India, Explained
Across India & the DiasporaWhy Do Panchang Websites Show Different Tithi and Rahu Kalam Times? Six Real Reasons
Across India & the DiasporaNalla Neram, Gowri, Choghadiya and Hora: India's 'Good Time' Grids Compared
Your Birth Chart & Periods(6)
Your Birth Chart & Periods
Lagna, Rasi and Birth Star: The Three Basics of Your Birth Chart
Your Birth Chart & PeriodsDasha and Bhukti: How the Vimshottari Periods Work
Your Birth Chart & PeriodsSade Sati and Ashtama Shani: When Saturn Passes Your Moon Sign
Your Birth Chart & PeriodsGuru Peyarchi: Jupiter's Move Each Year, Counted from Your Moon Sign
Your Birth Chart & PeriodsChandrashtamam: When the Moon Is 8th from Your Rasi
Your Birth Chart & PeriodsYogas in a Birth Chart: Planet Patterns with Names
Marriage Matching: The Ten Poruthams(17)
Marriage Matching
The Ten Poruthams: How Tamil Marriage Matching Works
Marriage MatchingDinam Porutham: The Nine-Star Count
Marriage MatchingTen Star Pairs Kalaprakasika Names Right After the Dinam Rule
Marriage MatchingSame Birth Star for Bride and Groom: What Kalaprakasika Says
Marriage MatchingGanam Porutham: Deva, Manushya and Rakshasa Stars
Marriage MatchingMahendram Porutham: Every Third Star from the Fourth
Marriage MatchingStree Deergham Porutham: The Groom's Star Beyond the 13th
Marriage MatchingYoni Porutham: The Animal Symbol of Each Star
Marriage MatchingRasi Porutham: Counting Between the Two Moon Signs
Marriage MatchingRasyadhipathi Porutham: Friendship of the Two Moon-Sign Lords
Marriage MatchingVasyam Porutham: Which Moon Signs Attract Which
Marriage MatchingRajju Porutham: The Five Star Groups
Marriage MatchingVedhai Porutham: The Stars That Repel Each Other
Marriage MatchingThe Exception That Sets Aside Four Poruthams
Marriage MatchingStar Gender and Nakshatra Gothram: Two Checks After the Ten
Marriage MatchingChevvai Dosham: Mars in the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th House
Marriage MatchingChoosing the Wedding Date: What Kalaprakasika Lists
Chart Foundations(27)
Chart Foundations
The Twelve Houses (Bhavas): Names and What Each One Covers
Chart FoundationsHouse Groups: Kendra, Trikona, Dusthana, Panaphara, Apoklima and Upachaya
Chart FoundationsVishnu and Lakshmi Places: Kendras, Trikonas and Their Lords
Chart FoundationsNatural Benefics and Malefics: Why the Moon and Mercury Change Sides
Chart FoundationsNatural Planetary Friendship Is a Rule, Not a Table
Chart FoundationsTemporary and Five-Fold Friendship: Where Two Planets Sit
Chart FoundationsExaltation and Debilitation: Each Planet's Best and Weakest Sign
Chart FoundationsMoolatrikona: Why the Books Give Different Degree Bands
Chart FoundationsDignity and the Share of Results: Full, ¾, ½, ¼, ⅛, Nil
Chart FoundationsGraha Drishti: How Planets Aspect the 7th, and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn's Special Aspects
Chart FoundationsAspect Strength as a Curve: Drishti in Virupas
Chart FoundationsCombustion (Asta): How Close to the Sun a Planet Sets
Chart FoundationsGraha Yuddha: When Two Planets Are at War
Chart FoundationsConjunction: Same Sign, or Within 12°?
Chart FoundationsA House and Its Lord: How the Lord's Place Helps or Weakens a House
Chart FoundationsFunctional Benefics and Yogakarakas: How Lordship Changes a Planet's Role
Chart FoundationsKendradhipati Dosha: When a Benefic Ruling an Angle Stops Helping
Chart FoundationsNeecha Bhanga: When a Debilitation Is Cancelled
Chart FoundationsBadhaka Sthana: The House of Obstruction, by Sign Type
Chart FoundationsLagna or Moon: Which Is a Chart Read From?
Chart FoundationsGraha Correspondences: Tastes, Trees, Seasons and Metals
Chart FoundationsThe Grahas and the Avataras
Chart FoundationsKalapurusha: The Zodiac as a Body
Chart FoundationsElements and Gunas in a Chart: The Strongest Planet Rule
Chart FoundationsRising Lengths of the Signs, and When in a Dasa Results Are Said to Show
Chart FoundationsPushkara Degrees: Twelve Moon Degrees Called Auspicious
Chart FoundationsArohi and Avarohi: Rising Toward Exaltation, or Falling Away
Muhurtha Rules: The Building Blocks(24)
Muhurtha Rules
Tara Bala: The Nine Taras Counted from Your Birth Star
Muhurtha RulesPariyaya: Why a Tara Weakens in the Second and Third Rounds
Muhurtha RulesNamed Stars from Your Birth Star: Karma, Sanghathika, Vainasika and More
Muhurtha RulesChandra Bala: Moon Strength Counted from Your Birth Rasi
Muhurtha RulesThe Six Kinds of Chandrashtama in Kalaprakasika
Muhurtha RulesAmritadi Yogas: Amrutha, Siddha and Marana, the Weekday and the Star
Muhurtha RulesWeekday, Star and Tithi Yogas in Kalaprakasika, Compared with the App Table
Muhurtha RulesDagdha Tithis: The Weekday and Tithi Pairs the Books Set Aside
Muhurtha RulesWeekday and Tithi Yogas: Siddha, Amrita, Krakacha and Four More
Muhurtha RulesThe Five Tithi Classes: Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, Rikta and Purna
Muhurtha RulesTithi Lords and Chhidra Tithis: Who Rules Each Tithi, and Three Lists to Avoid
Muhurtha RulesPanchaka: The Remainder-of-Nine Test in Kalaprakasika
Muhurtha RulesDisha Shoola and Vaar Shoola: The Direction Each Weekday Bars
Muhurtha RulesKaala Shoola and the Barred Opening Ghatis of a Star
Muhurtha RulesArdhaprahara, Kalan and the Other Eighths of the Day
Muhurtha RulesThe Sathwa, Rajas and Thamas Cycle: 112 Table Cells, One Rule
Muhurtha RulesDoshas That Wear Off at Noon or Nightfall
Muhurtha RulesMoudyam: When Jupiter or Venus Is Combust
Muhurtha RulesThe Lesser Doshas of Kalaprakasika: Ekargala, Kuhoo, Andha Stars, Karthari, Sthoolam
Muhurtha RulesThyajyam (Varjyam) in Depth: By Star, Weekday, Tithi and Sign
Muhurtha RulesGandanta: One Junction, Five Widths
Muhurtha RulesSandhya: How Long Is Twilight in the Books?
Muhurtha RulesWhat Cancels a Dosha: The Parihara Catalogue of Kalaprakasika
Muhurtha RulesAn Election Chart vs a Good Time
How a Festival Date Is Decided(17)
How a Festival Date Is Decided
Which Time of Day a Festival Checks: Dawn, Sunrise, Afternoon, Evening, Midnight
How a Festival Date Is DecidedVyapti: Which Tithi Owns the Day
How a Festival Date Is DecidedVedha: When a Neighbouring Tithi Touches the Day
How a Festival Date Is DecidedKshaya and Vriddhi Tithis: A Tithi With No Sunrise, or Two
How a Festival Date Is DecidedTithi-Led and Star-Led Festivals: Why Krishna Jayanti Weighs Rohini and Rama Navami Does Not Weigh Punarvasu
How a Festival Date Is DecidedThe Tithi at This Exact Moment: When the Instant Counts, Not the Day
How a Festival Date Is DecidedHow Sri Rama Navami's Date Is Decided
How a Festival Date Is DecidedKrishna Jayanti and Sri Jayanthi: One Birth, Two Rules
How a Festival Date Is DecidedHow Sri Nrsimha Jayanti's Date Is Decided
How a Festival Date Is DecidedMaha Pradosham, Step by Step: The Book's Five-Step Rule
How a Festival Date Is DecidedShravana Dwadashi and the Vishnu-shrinkhala Yoga
How a Festival Date Is DecidedEkadashi, Parana and the Short Dwadashi
How a Festival Date Is DecidedHow Karthigai Deepam's Date Is Decided: Star Evening or Full Moon
How a Festival Date Is DecidedHow Deepavali's Date Is Decided: Naraka Chaturdashi and the Amavasai
How a Festival Date Is DecidedNavaratri to Vijayadashami: How the Nine Nights Are Dated
How a Festival Date Is DecidedHow Upakarma and Gayatri Japam Are Dated
How a Festival Date Is DecidedHow Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Irappattu Are Dated
Divisions and Strength(18)
Divisions and Strength
The Sixteen Vargas: What Each Divisional Chart Is Read For
Divisions and StrengthBrihat Jataka's Five Vargas: Hora, Drekkana, Navamsa, Dvadasamsa, Trimsamsa
Divisions and StrengthWorking Out a Navamsa in Your Head: the Quick Sum
Divisions and StrengthNakshatra Padas: How 108 Star Quarters Fit the Twelve Signs
Divisions and StrengthHow Each Varga Is Built: the Counting Rule for All Sixteen
Divisions and StrengthVargottama and the Varga Grades: Parijata, Uttama, Gopura and the Rest
Divisions and StrengthVimsopaka: the 20-Point Varga Strength, Worked Through
Divisions and StrengthShadbala: the Six Strengths of a Planet, and the Totals Each Needs
Divisions and StrengthSthana Bala: the Five Parts of Positional Strength
Divisions and StrengthKala Bala: Time Strength, from the Hour of Birth to the Lord of the Year
Divisions and StrengthCheshta Bala: Motional Strength and the Eight Motions
Divisions and StrengthPaksha Bala: the Moon's Phase as Strength
Divisions and StrengthNatural Strengths: Which Planet Is Strong Where, and When
Divisions and StrengthBhava Bala: How Strong Is a House?
Divisions and StrengthIshta and Kashta Phala: a Planet's Good and Bad Potential
Divisions and StrengthRashmi: the Rays of the Planets, Counted from Exaltation
Divisions and StrengthAvasthas: a Planet's Age and Wakefulness (Baladi and Jagradadi)
Divisions and StrengthDeeptadi, Lajjitadi and Shayanadi: a Planet's Mood, Condition and Activity
Timing: Dashas, Transits and Ashtakavarga(23)
Timing: Dashas, Transits and Ashtakavarga