The five parts of a Panchang
Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga and Karana describe different aspects of a selected day.
Five names, five definitions
Tithi follows the angular separation of Moon and Sun in 12-degree intervals. Nakshatra divides the Moon’s sidereal path into 27 equal parts in the common scheme. Yoga uses the sum of sidereal Sun and Moon longitudes. Karana corresponds to half a tithi. Vara names the weekday, whose ritual-day boundary must be stated rather than assumed.
At sunrise and at this moment
A value evaluated at a chosen clock time need not be the value present at local sunrise. Both can be useful, but they answer different questions. Read the evaluation instant on the page. A transition listed after midnight belongs to the next civil date even when a traditional day view groups it with the preceding sunrise.
Why the city is visible
Rise and set times depend on place. The Moon-Sun angular relationship at one instant is not a city-specific ritual decision, while choosing an observance through sunrise or evening makes the location essential. A city selector therefore controls more than a label in a complete ritual calendar.
From primitives to observances
Correct astronomical primitives do not by themselves approve a festival date. Calendar conventions, exceptional tithis and community rules must be tested separately. This preview distinguishes computed values from pending ritual rules; its editorial festival pages are an introduction rather than an annual date announcement.
Original educational introduction · editorial review pending. Calculation limits are documented on the Methodology page.