The 7 Choghadiya — Meaning, Planets & How to Use Them
Choghadiya is the most popular everyday method of picking an auspicious time. Here is what each of the seven means, which planet rules it, and which activities it suits.
There are seven choghadiya. Amrit, Shubh and Labh are auspicious; Char is neutral (good for travel); and Udveg, Rog and Kaal are inauspicious. Each is ruled by a planet, and the day and night are each divided into eight ~90-minute choghadiya.
The seven choghadiya at a glance
| Choghadiya | Planet | Nature | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amrit अमृत | Moon | Auspicious | The most auspicious choghadiya — like nectar. Good for all important work. |
| Shubh शुभ | Jupiter | Auspicious | Auspicious — favoured for ceremonies, marriage and worship. |
| Labh लाभ | Mercury | Auspicious | ‘Gain’ — favoured for business, education and new ventures. |
| Char चर | Venus | Neutral | ‘Movable’ — neutral, and especially considered good for travel. |
| Udveg उद्वेग | Sun | Inauspicious | Causes anxiety — avoided for new work (acceptable for government work). |
| Rog रोग | Mars | Inauspicious | ‘Illness’ — avoided; associated with conflict and health issues. |
| Kaal काल | Saturn | Inauspicious | Inauspicious — avoided for starting important work. |
How choghadiya works
The daytime, from sunrise to sunset, is divided into eight equal parts, and the night, from sunset to the next sunrise, into eight more — sixteen choghadiya in all. Each part is one of seven named choghadiya ruled by a planet: the Moon, Jupiter and Mercury bring the auspicious Amrit, Shubh and Labh; Venus gives the neutral Char; and the Sun, Mars and Saturn bring Udveg, Rog and Kaal. The sequence starts from a different choghadiya each weekday and runs in a fixed cycle, so the same clock time carries a different choghadiya from one day to the next.
The seven choghadiya explained
Amrit (अमृत) — Auspicious, ruled by Moon
The most auspicious choghadiya — like nectar. Good for all important work. Amrit is the finest window for anything of importance — marriage talks, signing, buying, medicine and travel.
Shubh (शुभ) — Auspicious, ruled by Jupiter
Auspicious — favoured for ceremonies, marriage and worship. Shubh is excellent for ceremonies, worship, marriage, housewarming and educational beginnings.
Labh (लाभ) — Auspicious, ruled by Mercury
‘Gain’ — favoured for business, education and new ventures. Labh (‘gain’) is ideal for business, opening a shop, investments, interviews and learning new skills.
Char (चर) — Neutral, ruled by Venus
‘Movable’ — neutral, and especially considered good for travel. Char (‘moving’) is neutral overall and specifically recommended for travel and movable activities.
Udveg (उद्वेग) — Inauspicious, ruled by Sun
Causes anxiety — avoided for new work (acceptable for government work). Udveg brings restlessness and is avoided for new work; it is tolerable for routine or government tasks.
Rog (रोग) — Inauspicious, ruled by Mars
‘Illness’ — avoided; associated with conflict and health issues. Rog (‘illness’) is avoided for anything important and is linked with conflict and health setbacks.
Kaal (काल) — Inauspicious, ruled by Saturn
Inauspicious — avoided for starting important work. Kaal is inauspicious and best avoided for starting anything of value.
Day vs night choghadiya
The day choghadiya (sunrise to sunset) is used for daytime activities, and the night choghadiya (sunset to next sunrise) for evening and night work such as travel or ceremonies after dark. Each has its own eightfold sequence, so always read the correct set for the time you plan to act.
Which choghadiya for which activity
- Marriage, puja, housewarming: Amrit or Shubh.
- Business, shopping, new ventures: Labh or Amrit.
- Travel and journeys: Char (also Amrit, Shubh, Labh).
- Routine or unavoidable work: Udveg is tolerable; avoid Rog and Kaal.
Using choghadiya with Rahu Kaal and Abhijit
Even within a good choghadiya, it is wise to avoid the day's Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda and Gulika. The Abhijit Muhurat around midday is auspicious for most work regardless of choghadiya (except on Wednesdays by some traditions). Check your city's live choghadiya today or plan any date with the muhurat planner.
Common questions
What is choghadiya?
Choghadiya is a Vedic method of choosing an auspicious time. The day (sunrise to sunset) and the night (sunset to next sunrise) are each divided into eight parts of about 90 minutes, each ruled by a planet and classed as auspicious, neutral or inauspicious.
Which choghadiya is the most auspicious?
Amrit is the most auspicious, followed by Shubh and Labh. Char is neutral and good for travel; Udveg, Rog and Kaal are avoided for new work.
Which choghadiya is best for travel?
Char is traditionally the best choghadiya for travel; Amrit, Shubh and Labh are also fine.
How long is one choghadiya?
About 90 minutes, though the exact length varies with the length of the day, since the daytime is always split into eight equal parts.
Does the choghadiya change each day?
Yes — the starting choghadiya rotates by weekday, so the same clock hour carries a different choghadiya on different days, and the timings shift with sunrise and sunset by city.