Traditional timing guide
Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika in context
Rahu Kaal is a traditional daily caution period calculated from one of eight equal daylight segments, with the segment changing by weekday. It depends on local sunrise and sunset, so its clock time changes by place and season. It advises care around new beginnings, not fear or stopping ordinary work already in progress.
Reviewed 2026-09-05
How weekday daylight octants work
First, the daylight span from local sunrise to local sunset is divided into eight equal parts. Traditional weekday rules select one part as Rahu Kaal. The selected part differs by day of the week, which is why the period cannot be reduced to one fixed daily clock time.
A location-aware tool also needs the real solar span for that day. Daylight in Delhi, London and Melbourne may be very different, and daylight changes across the seasons. The period’s duration and start time follow those local conditions.
| Weekday | Rahu Kaal Octant |
|---|---|
| Sunday | 8 |
| Monday | 2 |
| Tuesday | 7 |
| Wednesday | 5 |
| Thursday | 6 |
| Friday | 4 |
| Saturday | 3 |
Rahu Kaal is one of three recognised daily caution periods
Rahu Kaal is commonly shown alongside Yamaganda and Gulika Kaal, also called Mandi or Gulikai in some traditions. Each has its own weekday octant position. Looking at them together helps the daily tool mark potential overlap instead of presenting one label as the whole picture.
The usual reading is narrow: if a new auspicious undertaking can reasonably be scheduled at another time, choose another time. It is not a command to stop ongoing work, decline essential care, ignore a deadline or treat a routine day as dangerous.
A direct note about Ketu Kaal
Searches sometimes ask for Ketu Kaal, but there is no separate standard daily Ketu Kaal calculation in the recognised Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika set. A page that gives one fixed Ketu window is adding a label that this daily method does not calculate.
If you are looking for a general daily reference, check the three recognised caution periods and any supportive windows for your chosen place. For a personal ritual tradition, ask a trusted practitioner what convention they use rather than assuming all sources use the same term.
Method and sensible priorities
Method note: Anantrix calculates Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika from the selected place’s local daylight span and weekday. It presents a clear unavailable state where reliable solar events are absent, instead of substituting an arbitrary 06:00 to 18:00 day.
Traditional timing is optional cultural guidance. It does not establish scientific causation or outweigh safety, emergency care, legal obligations, travel decisions or practical commitments.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Rahu Kaal happen at the same time everywhere?
No. The calculation starts with local sunrise and sunset, then divides that local daylight span into eight. The selected weekday segment therefore has different clock times in different places and seasons.
Is Ketu Kaal a standard daily calculated period?
No. There is no separate standard daily Ketu Kaal calculation in this method. The recognised daily caution periods shown here are Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika.