What is a Monthly Panchang?
The Monthly Panchang or Panchang is a type of Hindu calendar that details Vedic astrological calculations for an entire month. It differs from the daily Panchang in that while the daily Panchang only provides details for one day, the monthly Panchang provides complete details for each day throughout the month. It includes information on important times and conditions, such as the tithi, nakshatra, lagna, sunrise-sunset, and moonrise-moonset.
Features of the Monthly Panchang
The information provided in the monthly Panchang is crucial for our daily lives and religious activities. It helps us perform the right tasks at the right time.
- Tithi: In Hinduism, all festivals and religious activities are determined according to the date. The monthly calendar shows the start and end time of each day's tithi, making it easier to decide on festivals and rituals.
- Shukla Paksha/Krishna Paksha: Every Hindu month is divided into two phases, Krishna Paksha and Shukla Paksha. The monthly calendar helps you know which tithi falls in which phase.
- Krishna Paksha: The period between the full moon and the new moon. During this time, the phases of the moon decrease. This phase is not considered suitable for most auspicious works.
- Shukla Paksha: The period from the new moon to the full moon. During this time, the moon becomes stronger and reaches its full size, hence it is considered extremely auspicious for all auspicious works.
- Nakshatra: The Panchang also helps determine the position of the Nakshatras. Nakshatras are crucial for determining auspicious times, as performing any auspicious task under a particular Nakshatra brings favorable results.
- Major Fasts and Festivals: The monthly Panchang provides a detailed overview of all the major fasts and festivals that occur during that month. These include fasts like Ekadashi, Pradosh, monthly Shivaratri, Sankashti Chaturthi, and major festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Rakshabandhan.
- Full Moon/New Moon Days: The Full Moon and New Moon dates hold special significance in Vedic astrology. The monthly Panchang provides information about these important dates, allowing you to plan your fasts or religious rituals accordingly.
5 parts of the Panchang
Panchang means 'five parts'. These five elements together represent the astrological situation of any day.
- Tithi: There are a total of 30 dates in a lunar month. A date is completed when the Moon completes 12 degrees.
- Vaar: This is the period from one sunrise to the next. There are a total of 7: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
- Yoga: The specific distances formed between the Sun and the Moon are called Yogas. There are 27 of them, and each Yoga has its own special effect.
- Karan: This is half of a date. There are a total of 11 Karanas. Vishti Karana (also known as Bhadra) is considered inauspicious and auspicious works are not performed during this period.
- Nakshatra: A group of stars in the sky is called Nakshatra. Vedic astrology describes 27 Nakshatras, which are important in the calculation of horoscope and Muhurta etc.
The monthly Panchang contains details of all these parts, making it an essential tool for your daily and religious life.