Pañcāṅga
Five calendrical elements and the conventions needed to read them.
Introductory source-based synthesis. External references were consulted for the stated scope; specialist peer review is not claimed.
Five parts of a calendar
The Rashtriya Panchang identifies vāra, tithi, nakṣatra, yoga and karaṇa as the five panchang elements. Tithi is based on the angular separation of the Moon and Sun; a karaṇa corresponds to half a tithi. A civil calendar date and a calendrical element need not change at the same moment.
A time belongs to a method
The official explanation documents its reference location, time convention and other choices. Those details matter when comparing publications or applying a table to a place. A festival rule can require additional interpretative conventions beyond a celestial position.
Read the explanation beside the table
Begin with the publisher’s methodological note, then read one row and identify what each time represents. The Shakti Garbha observatory links to the official calculation resource but does not compute a local panchang. Any future calculator will require validated ephemerides, location and timezone handling, declared conventions and comparison with trusted reference outputs.
- Level
- Introductory
- Format
- Self-paced reading
Learning modules
01Vāra and tithi
Use the sources below to identify a source passage, write one question about its context, and record the vocabulary you want to understand. The introductory essay above supplies context; expanded lessons are planned.
Read the study-method note02Nakṣatra, yoga and karaṇa
Use the sources below to identify a source passage, write one question about its context, and record the vocabulary you want to understand. The introductory essay above supplies context; expanded lessons are planned.
Read the study-method note03Location and time convention
Use the sources below to identify a source passage, write one question about its context, and record the vocabulary you want to understand. The introductory essay above supplies context; expanded lessons are planned.
Read the study-method noteSources & further reading
- 01Positional Astronomy Centre · Panchang explanationinstitutional reference
Definitions and calendrical conventions consulted. These are astronomical descriptions, not evidence for personal predictions.
Consulted 2026-11-07 - 02India Meteorological Department · Rashtriya Panchanginstitutional reference
Reference consulted for the introductory account; follow the source for its full context.
Consulted 2026-11-07