Rahu Kaalam

Normally we do have the tradition of starting things on auspicious hours or at least not commencing them on the so called inauspicious period such as Rahu kalam.
There is a standard Rahukalam Timetable given in all almanacs.This timetable has been given under the assumption that the sun rises at 6A.M. & sets at 6P.M.
Based on this people who believe in Rahu Kaalam start the Pooja etc just 5mts before the commencement of Rahukalam,continue & finish off just after Rahukalam ends.
But actually Raahukalm for each day is calculated thus. The daytime ,that is the intervel between Sunrise & Sunset is divided into 8 equal parts called octants.The first octant is left off.The second octant to the eighth octants are being assigned to the days in the order Monday,,Saturday,Friday,Wednesday,Thursday,Tuesday and Sunday.The Rahukalam on Sunday ends with Sunset.
In summer, daytime is longer & Rahukala period also will be more than 90 mts & during winter, day time is short & the Rahu kalam also will be shorter.

The following table clearly indicates the Rahukalam period for 4 cities with different sunrise & sunset timings.
CITY:1 CITY:2 ......... ............. .......... ..........
Rise/set Rise/Set
A.M/p/M A.M./P.M
6.00/6.00 7.00/7.00

1/8=90mts 1/8=90mts
Rahukalam
Su;4.30-6.00p.m. 5.30-7.00p.m
M: 7.30-9.00a.m. 8.30-10.00a.m. Tu:3.00-4.30p.m. 4.00-5.30p.m.
W:12noon-1.30p.m. 1.00-2.30p.m.
Th:1.30-3.00p.m. 2.30-4.00p.m.
F:10.30-12noon 11.30-1.00p.m.
Sa:9.00-10.30a.m. 10.00-11.30a.m
City 3 City 4
---------- ----------
Rise/set A.M/P/M Rise/Set--A.M/P/m
5.58/8.14 7.30/5.30
1/8 =107 mts 1/8 =75 mts
Rahukaal Timings
Sunday 6.27-8.14pm 4.15-5.30p.m
Mon 7.45-9.32A.m 8.45 -10AM
Tues 4.40-6.27pm 3.00-4.15 pm
wed 1.06-2.53pm 12.30-1.45pm
thurs 2.53 -4.40 pm 1.45-3.00pm
Fri 11.19-1.06pm 11.15-12.30pm
sat 9.32-11/19am 10.00-11.15am


Those who are meticulous of staggering any work just for Rahukalam sake, may take into account the above facts also. Sunise & sunset timings are given in dailies.For people living in chennai,timings may not vary much, But in places like Delhi, Bangalore where winter day timings are short,the Rahukalam will definitely vary.

In Singapore there are many Tamils who have special belief in Rahukalam.They have a special confusion.By standard timings ,singapore timings are 2.30 hrs are advance to IST.When it is 5A. M. in madras it is 7.30 A. M. in Singapore.But as per longitude ,Singapore should have a time difference of one hour and 30 mts only.On monday at 7.30 a singapore tamil man ,if he is analytical and religious, thinks it is 6.30 only and Rahukalam has not yet started.Yet in their deep mind, rahukalam stands deep rooted They start observing Rahukalam till for 2hrs 30 mts because of this confusion.That is they observe rahukalam for two and half hrs daily.I was surprised to see such people in a scientifically advanced country like Singapore.

Now a days rahukala on day to day basis is available in internet & cell phones.
In South India,mainly Rahukalam is taken care of. But in Western India, specially in Gujarat,business people are very particular in avoiding not only Rahukalam but also many other inauspicious timings specific to their business in accordance with their calendar.

Even people following the tradition raise the following questions.

1.Whether the inauspiciousness is being caused by the planetary movements?
2. While Rahu is considered to be a node,& not a planet,how can it influence the living beings?
3.Whether there is any scientific proof to the fact that Rahukalam may prove harmful?
4. While the classification into thithis Prathama, Dvithiya etc depends on lunar movement,
the significance of grouping into days,Sunday , Monday etc & the specific influence of Rahu on specific hours has not been explained in many books.It is simply being followed as a tradition not necessarily out of faith but out of fear of avoiding the evil,though there are certain mythological stories
5.All are aware that only in preplanned events auspicious hrs can be adhered to & not during exigencies. or accidents
6.. Four factors contribute to the success of any endeavour.Yatnam,(Effort),Prayatnam (severe & sincere efforts),Kaalam (period of doing ) & Devaanugraham( Divine Grace).It may not mean that only if the efforts are made during auspicious period, it will yield good results. Really it implies that when sincere efforts are undertaken with a lofty ideal in mind,auspicious kaalam starts instantly which leads to Divine Grace.( thadhaiva lagnam sudhinam thadhaiva)My patti born in 1850 never believed in Rahukalam and neither my parents( 1889-1986)
While there is no harm in following the tradition,younger generation would prefer to be scientifically convinced.

Jayasala 42

 

Thank you Thyagarajan Sir.
Certain events just happened during inauspicious timings and certain events were made to happen so.Mahabharatham contains many such instances for which Krishna alone was responsible.
jayasala 42