What is Choghadiya?
Choghadiya divides the daytime (sunrise to sunset) and the night (sunset to sunrise) into eight equal parts each. Every part is one choghadiya, ruled by a planet and carrying a fixed quality — good, neutral or bad. It is the quickest way to find a favourable window for everyday work — travel, a purchase, a meeting — without casting a full muhurat.
The seven choghadiyas
- Amrit (Moon) — the best; good for all work.
- Shubh (Jupiter) — auspicious; ceremonies, important tasks.
- Labh (Mercury) — gain; business, learning.
- Char (Venus) — movable/neutral; travel, routine work.
- Rog (Mars) — avoid; illness, conflict.
- Kaal (Saturn) — avoid; loss.
- Udveg (Sun) — avoid; anxiety, government work only.
Amrit, Shubh and Labh are the good ones; Char is neutral (usable); Rog, Kaal and Udveg are avoided for new beginnings.
Day and night Choghadiya
The eight day parts run from sunrise, the eight night parts from sunset — so each choghadiya's clock length depends on the day/night length at your place and date. The starting choghadiya of the day is fixed by the weekday.
Using Choghadiya
Pick an Amrit, Shubh or Labh window that is clear of Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika (shown above). For finer timing by the hour, see the Hora, and read the day's Panchang for tithi and nakshatra.