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Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika Kalam Timings Today

Shiva Venkateswara Sep 3, 2022 Updated May 7, 2026 12 min read

Find Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika timings for all seven days with weekly chart, calculation steps, and traditional remedies. One reference for every weekday.

The simplest way to remember Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika timings for the entire week is this: Rahu sits in the afternoon on Wednesday and Thursday, the morning on Monday, Friday, and Saturday, the late afternoon on Tuesday, and the evening on Sunday. Yamagandam and Gulika rotate through their own slots. However, memorising one chart beats checking your phone seven times a week, and that is exactly what this guide gives you.

South Indian families have followed this system for generations. Furthermore, the three windows together span roughly 4.5 hours of any given day — meaning you have nearly 8 hours of clean daylight for new starts, weddings, signings, and journeys. The trick is knowing which 4.5 hours to skip.

Quick Summary at a Glance

  • Rahu Kalam: 90-minute window, ruled by shadow planet Rahu, considered most inauspicious for new starts
  • Yamagandam: 90-minute window ruled by Yama (god of death), avoid medical procedures and money matters
  • Gulika Kalam: 90-minute window ruled by Gulika, son of Shani — actions repeat, so good for purchases, bad for loans
  • Each window: calculated by dividing daylight (sunrise to sunset) into 8 equal parts
  • Standard reference: assumes 6:00 AM sunrise; adjust 5–15 minutes for your city
  • Most malefic days: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday Rahu Kalam carry stronger influence per traditional jyotish

Therefore, the chart below works as a quick mental shortcut. For pinpoint accuracy, always cross-check with your local panchang.

Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika Standard Weekly Chart

Below is the most commonly used reference table in South Indian households, calibrated to a 6:00 AM sunrise and 6:00 PM sunset. Each slot is exactly 90 minutes long.

DayRahu KalamYamagandamGulika Kalam
Sunday4:30 PM – 6:00 PM12:00 PM – 1:30 PM3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Monday7:30 AM – 9:00 AM10:30 AM – 12:00 PM1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Tuesday3:00 PM – 4:30 PM9:00 AM – 10:30 AM12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Wednesday12:00 PM – 1:30 PM7:30 AM – 9:00 AM10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Thursday1:30 PM – 3:00 PM6:00 AM – 7:30 AM9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Friday10:30 AM – 12:00 PM3:00 PM – 4:30 PM7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Saturday9:00 AM – 10:30 AM1:30 PM – 3:00 PM6:00 AM – 7:30 AM

Notably, the slot numbers are fixed by tradition. Rahu sits on slot 8 on Sunday, slot 2 on Monday, slot 7 on Tuesday, slot 5 on Wednesday, slot 6 on Thursday, slot 4 on Friday, and slot 3 on Saturday.

The Tamil Mnemonic for Quick Recall

South Indian astrologers use a memory aid: “Mother Saw Father Wearing The Turban Suddenly.” Each first letter maps to a weekday in the order Mon-Sat-Fri-Wed-Thu-Tue-Sun. The slot positions follow as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

However, the easier visual trick is this — Rahu Kalam moves later each day from Friday morning all the way to Sunday evening, then resets to Monday morning.

What Each Window Actually Means

Treating all three windows as one big “bad time” is the most common mistake. Each carries its own personality and demands a different response.

Rahu Kalam — The Confusion Window

Ruled by Rahu, the northern lunar node. This 90-minute slot brings mental fog, illusion, and delays to new ventures. Therefore, contracts signed here often unravel; journeys started here often get postponed.

Rahu does not destroy — it confuses. Consequently, decisions made during Rahu Kalam tend to be revisited later when clarity returns.

Yamagandam — The Death Window

Yama is the dharma-raja, the deity who escorts souls after death. His window carries finality. Activities started here are believed to either fail outright or cause prolonged suffering before failing.

Specifically, medical procedures, surgeries, money lending, and long-distance travel are postponed during Yamagandam. Furthermore, traditional families also avoid starting court cases in this slot.

Gulika Kalam — The Repetition Window

Gulika is the son of Shani (Saturn). Saturn governs cycles, karma, and recurrence. As a result, anything begun in Gulika Kalam tends to repeat.

This makes Gulika uniquely useful. Buying gold, planting fruit trees, depositing money, or moving into a new home during Gulika is considered favourable — because you want recurrence. However, taking loans, attending funerals, or selling assets in this window is strictly avoided.

Day-by-Day Breakdown

Each weekday carries its own ruling planet and its own flavour of caution. Below is what experienced astrologers actually consider when reading these windows.

Sunday — Surya’s Day

Sunday belongs to Surya. Rahu Kalam falls late — 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM — which is why Sunday weddings often finish before sunset. Yamagandam takes the noon slot, and Gulika sits in the late afternoon.

Most people start fresh ventures on Sunday morning. Therefore, the morning hours from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM remain prime time. After 4:30 PM, the day effectively closes for new starts.

Monday — Chandra’s Day

Monday belongs to the Moon, ruling emotions and water. Rahu Kalam falls early — 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM — which complicates morning office starts. Yamagandam sits late morning, and Gulika lands in the post-lunch slot.

Consequently, the cleanest Monday windows are 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM onwards. Many devotees fast on Mondays for Lord Shiva, since Shiva is believed to neutralise Rahu’s effects.

Tuesday — Mangal’s Day

Tuesday is ruled by Mars. Both Mars and Rahu carry malefic energy — therefore, Tuesday Rahu Kalam at 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM is considered particularly intense. Yamagandam sits at 9:00 AM, and Gulika at noon.

Hanuman is the patron deity of Tuesday. As a result, devotees recite Hanuman Chalisa to neutralise both Mars and Rahu malefics. New ventures on Tuesday are best avoided altogether by traditional families.

Wednesday — Budh’s Day

Wednesday belongs to Mercury, governing communication and commerce. Rahu Kalam at noon (12:00 PM to 1:30 PM) interrupts the lunch hour and afternoon meetings. Yamagandam sits at 7:30 AM, and Gulika at 10:30 AM.

Wednesday is generally considered favourable for business deals, signing contracts, and starting new ventures — outside the three windows. Furthermore, Lord Vishnu and Vithoba are worshipped on Wednesdays.

Thursday — Guru’s Day

Thursday is Brihaspati Vaar, ruled by Jupiter. This is the most spiritually auspicious day of the week. Rahu Kalam falls 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM, Yamagandam at sunrise (6:00 AM to 7:30 AM), and Gulika at 9:00 AM.

Major temple visits, financial deposits, and educational starts happen on Thursdays. Devotees often visit Sai Baba, Vishnu, or Brihaspati shrines, particularly favouring the morning window after 7:30 AM.

Friday — Shukra’s Day

Friday belongs to Venus, governing love, beauty, and luxury. Rahu Kalam at 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM disrupts mid-morning plans. Yamagandam sits at 3:00 PM, and Gulika takes the early morning slot.

Friday Rahu Kalam is considered particularly malefic per traditional texts. However, the day itself is favoured for buying jewellery, new clothes, and attending celebrations — outside the three windows.

Saturday — Shani’s Day

Saturday is ruled by Saturn — and Gulika is Saturn’s son. Naturally, Gulika takes the very first slot of Saturday morning at 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM. Rahu Kalam sits at 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM, and Yamagandam at 1:30 PM.

Many people fear Saturdays. However, Saturday is actually excellent for honest, long-term work — exactly Saturn’s domain. Avoid the windows, do disciplined work, and Saturn rewards consistency.

How These Timings Are Calculated

The math is identical for all three windows. Take the gap between local sunrise and sunset, then divide it by eight equal parts.

  1. Find local sunrise and sunset (any weather app shows this)
  2. Subtract sunrise from sunset to get total daylight in minutes
  3. Divide by 8 — this is one slot length
  4. Identify which slot Rahu sits on for the day (use the chart above)
  5. Multiply slot length by the slot number minus 1, then add to sunrise
  6. Add one more slot length to find the end time

For example, on a 13-hour daylight day, each slot is 97.5 minutes. Therefore, slot 5 (Wednesday Rahu Kalam) starts at sunrise + (4 × 97.5 minutes). Furthermore, the same logic applies to Yamagandam and Gulika using their own slot numbers.

The Slot Position Chart

DayRahu SlotYamagandam SlotGulika Slot
Sunday857
Monday246
Tuesday735
Wednesday524
Thursday613
Friday462
Saturday371

Notably, Yamagandam Saturday and Gulika Saturday flip — Gulika takes slot 1 (sunrise) on Saturn’s day. Rahu Kalam on Wikipedia documents the underlying eight-slot system.

What to Avoid During All Three Windows

Traditional South Indian families postpone the following during any of the three windows. Importantly, ongoing routine work continues normally — only fresh starts get rescheduled.

  1. Signing contracts — property, loan papers, business agreements
  2. Starting a new journey — long-distance travel, flights, train trips
  3. Marriage rituals — engagement, muhurtam, kanyadaan
  4. Griha Pravesh — first entry into a new home
  5. Major purchases — vehicles, expensive electronics (gold during Gulika is fine)
  6. Medical procedures — particularly surgeries during Yamagandam
  7. Court submissions — filing cases, signing legal documents
  8. Job interviews — though commute is acceptable

What is Perfectly Fine During These Windows

  • Continue ongoing office work, meetings, calls already in progress
  • Eat, sleep, study, exercise
  • Routine shopping, paying utility bills
  • Worship of Durga, Shiva, Hanuman, Subramanya, or Ganesha
  • Travel that began before the window started

Why City Adjustments Matter

The standard chart assumes a 6:00 AM sunrise. However, real cities never match this exactly. Therefore, your local timings will shift.

For instance, Kolkata sees sunrise around 5:00 AM in summer. Mumbai sees it closer to 6:15 AM. Consequently, the same Rahu Kalam slot in Kolkata starts almost 75 minutes earlier than in Mumbai on the same date.

Sample Adjustments for May

CityApprox. SunriseSlot LengthShift From Standard
Kolkata4:55 AM97 min~65 min earlier
Chennai5:48 AM97 min~12 min earlier
Hyderabad5:42 AM97 min~18 min earlier
Mumbai6:18 AM97 min~18 min later
Delhi5:30 AM98 min~30 min earlier

Therefore, always use a city-specific tool like Drik Panchang for pinpoint accuracy. The standard chart works as a planning shortcut, not a precision instrument.

Remedies When You Cannot Avoid the Window

Sometimes work cannot wait. A flight is booked, a court hearing is fixed, a wedding muhurtam clashes with Rahu Kalam. In such cases, traditional remedies help reduce malefic influence.

Quick Remedy Checklist

  1. Recite Hanuman Chalisa once before stepping out
  2. Chant “Om Bhraam Bhreem Bhroum Sah Rahave Namah” 21 times
  3. Take a sip of water, then step out with the right foot first
  4. Offer jaggery to Lord Hanuman and eat a small piece yourself
  5. Donate black sesame seeds (for Rahu) or mustard oil (for Saturn)
  6. Keep a Rudraksha bead or silver coin in your pocket
  7. Pray to your kuldevta or chant the Ganesha mantra “Om Gam Ganapataye Namah”

Furthermore, devotees with severe Rahu Dosha or Sarpa Dosha visit Sri Kalahasti in Andhra Pradesh or Thirunageswaram in Tamil Nadu. Both temples specialise in Rahu-Ketu pooja and are considered powerful neutralisers.

The Mythology Behind the Three Windows

The story traces back to Samudra Manthan — the cosmic churning of the ocean. The asura Svarbhanu disguised himself among the devas to drink the amrit (immortal nectar). However, Surya and Chandra spotted him.

Lord Vishnu, in his Mohini avatar, used the Sudarshana Chakra to behead Svarbhanu. The head became Rahu, the body became Ketu. Both gained planetary status as eternal shadow planets carrying grudges against the Sun and Moon.

Yama, meanwhile, is the dharma-raja who weighs souls after death. His daily window reminds humans of mortality. Gulika, the son of Shani, embodies karmic recurrence — what you start in his window comes back, often more than once.

Common Mistakes With Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika Timings

After watching families navigate these windows for years, certain mistakes repeat across households. Here are the patterns worth correcting.

Mistake 1 — Cancelling Ongoing Work

The windows block new beginnings, not continuations. Therefore, if your meeting started at 1:00 PM, you can keep talking past 1:30 PM without issue. People often panic and cut short ongoing conversations unnecessarily.

Mistake 2 — Skipping Gulika’s Strategic Use

Gulika is misunderstood as purely inauspicious. However, its repetition principle makes it ideal for purchases you want to recur. Buying gold, depositing fixed savings, or planting trees during Gulika is actually traditional practice in many Tamil households.

Mistake 3 — Ignoring City Sunrise

Using the 6:00 AM standard chart in Mumbai or Kolkata creates errors of 30–60 minutes. Consequently, what you think is a clean window may actually be inside the malefic slot. Always cross-check with a city-specific panchang.

Mistake 4 — Treating All Days as Equal

Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday Rahu Kalam carry stronger malefic influence than other days. Furthermore, Saturday Gulika is particularly intense because Gulika himself is Saturn’s son and Saturday is Saturn’s day.

Best Days for New Starts

If you have flexibility on which day to begin a new venture, certain combinations work better than others.

ActivityBest DayBest Window
Marriage ritualsThursday, Friday10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
New business startWednesday, Thursday9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Property purchaseThursday, FridayDuring Gulika Kalam
Long journey startWednesday, ThursdayEarly morning before windows
Loan applicationWednesday, ThursdayAvoid Gulika strictly
Educational startThursday7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Investment depositThursdayDuring Gulika Kalam

Notably, Thursday emerges as the most favourable day across most categories. As a result, traditional families schedule major decisions for Thursdays whenever possible.

Final Thoughts on Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika

The three windows are planning tools, not paralysing fears. Memorise the standard chart, adjust 10–30 minutes for your city, and you have a lifetime of daily decision-making aligned with thousands of years of South Indian wisdom. Furthermore, treat Gulika strategically — its repetition principle is an opportunity, not just a warning.

Print the weekly chart and stick it inside your kitchen cabinet or pooja room. Glance at it each morning before scheduling meetings, signings, or journeys. That single 30-second habit prevents most of the friction traditional astrologers warn about. When work cannot wait, lean on Hanuman Chalisa, a small donation, or a temple visit beforehand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the standard Rahu Kalam Yamagandam Gulika timings accurate for all cities?

The standard chart assumes a 6:00 AM sunrise and works as a rough guide. However, actual timings shift by 30–60 minutes between eastern and western Indian cities. Therefore, always verify with a city-specific panchang for marriage muhurtams or major signings.

Which is more inauspicious — Rahu Kalam or Yamagandam?

Both carry strong malefic influence, but their flavours differ. Rahu Kalam brings confusion and delays, while Yamagandam can lead to outright failure or prolonged suffering. Consequently, medical procedures are particularly avoided during Yamagandam, and contracts during Rahu Kalam.

Can I buy gold during Gulika Kalam?

Yes, Gulika Kalam is traditionally considered favourable for buying gold, property, or anything you want to recur. The window’s repetition principle works in your favour for acquisition. However, avoid taking loans or selling assets during the same window.

Why is Tuesday Rahu Kalam considered worse than other days?

Tuesday is ruled by Mars, itself a malefic planet. The combination of Mars’s natural intensity with Rahu’s confusion creates a particularly disruptive 90 minutes. Therefore, Tuesday afternoon between 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM is best kept free of new ventures.

Do these windows apply during the night too?

A separate night Rahu Kalam exists, calculated by dividing the period between sunset and next sunrise into eight equal parts. Most people only track the daytime window since major decisions happen in daylight. However, those starting overnight ventures sometimes consult the night chart.

What happens if a baby is born during Rahu Kalam?

Tradition holds that a Rahu Kalam birth can affect mental temperament, though the effect depends entirely on the full birth chart. A skilled astrologer reads the lagna lord, planetary placements, and dasha periods before drawing any conclusion. No remedy is needed in most cases.

Can I do puja during the three windows?

Puja for Rahu, Goddess Durga, Hanuman, Shiva, or Subramanya is encouraged during these windows. However, fresh sankalpas, homas, or marriage ceremonies should be scheduled outside them. The windows suit remedial worship, not new spiritual undertakings.

Last reviewed: May 7, 2026

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Shiva Venkateswara

Shiva Venkateswara is the founding editor of Tirumala Tirupati Online. With over 8 years of dedicated coverage of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, he has personally completed pilgrimages to Tirumala 50+ times, walking the Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpaths, observing every major arjitha seva, and touring every guest house, mutt, and accommodation block in both Tirumala and Tirupati. His on-the-ground reporting drives the site's day-by-day darshan-status updates, room-availability charts, and festival schedules.His coverage spans TTD darshan procedures (Sarva Darshan, ₹300 Special Entry, SSD tokens, Srivani Trust, Divya Darshan, Supatham VIP), accommodation booking (online quota, CRO walk-ins, all major mutts and choultries), sevas (Arjitha, Daily, Weekly), and broader South Indian temple traditions including Srikalahasti, Bhadrachalam, Tiruchanur, Kanchipuram, Madurai, and the Char Dham circuit. He has interviewed senior TTD staff, peetadhipathis, and tour operators to verify the booking processes, timings, and pricing documented on the site.He launched Tirumala Tirupati Online on August 15, 2017 with the goal of giving Indian and NRI devotees a single trusted source for darshan information that previously lived only in Telugu pamphlets, regional newspapers, and word-of-mouth. The site now publishes daily updates across 2,900+ guides reaching pilgrims in English, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi.Editorial standards: every booking process, timing, and price published on the site is cross-verified against the official TTD portal (tirupatibalaji.ap.gov.in) and TTD-issued circulars before publication. Reader-reported errors are corrected within 24 hours. The site does not accept paid placements for booking-related content; AdSense advertising is disclosed per Google policy. Affiliate links use rel="sponsored noopener".Contact: editor@tirumalatirupationline.com. Connect on X (Twitter) @tirumalatirupati and Facebook @tirumalatirupationline.

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