Panchak (from pancha, five) is a recurring period in the Panchang defined entirely by the Moon's position. It is one of the timings many families check before certain household and ritual activities.
When is Panchak?
Panchak begins when the Moon enters sidereal Kumbha (300°) and ends when it leaves Meena (360°). This stretch of the zodiac covers five nakshatras:
- Dhanishta (second half)
- Shatabhisha
- Purva Bhadrapada
- Uttara Bhadrapada
- Revati
Since the Moon takes about 27.3 days to go round the zodiac, it spends roughly four and a half days in these two signs, and Panchak returns roughly once every lunar month. Start and end are exact moments, not whole days, so Panchak can begin or end at any hour.
Names by starting weekday
Traditionally, a Panchak is named after the weekday on which it begins (the Hindu weekday, counted from sunrise to sunrise):
- Sunday: Roga Panchak
- Monday: Raja Panchak
- Tuesday: Agni Panchak
- Friday: Chora Panchak
- Saturday: Mrityu Panchak
A Panchak that begins on Wednesday or Thursday carries no special name in this classification. These names are traditional labels; they describe a category in the texts, not a prediction about any person.
What is traditionally avoided
Traditional texts list a small number of activities that people prefer not to start during Panchak:
- beginning a journey towards the south;
- gathering or storing wood and fuel;
- laying a roof on a house;
- making a bed or cot.
When last rites have to take place during Panchak, many families follow additional customary rites recommended by their priest; this is a matter of tradition, and the rites themselves are not postponed. Everyday life, work, study, worship and most other activities are not affected by Panchak. Traditions vary by region and Panchang convention, and many communities give Panchak less weight than others.
How this platform calculates it
The engine finds the exact moments the Moon crosses 300° and 360° of sidereal longitude using your selected ayanamsa, and names the period by the Hindu weekday at its start. See upcoming dates on the Panchak page, and learn about the underlying stars in Nakshatra.