Panchang also called panchangam, is a sanskrit name given to the traditional vedic calendar. Panchanga means pancha + anga i.e five parts or limbs of the Vedic calendar that helps you synchronise with your best days and times - ahead of time. The five parts are Day (Vaara / Din), Lunar day (Tithi), Star (Nakshatra), Yoga and Karan (half of Tithi). So, Panchang in Hindu Astrology or Indian vedic astrology is a sort of a Hindu Almanac. It is an astrological diary that gives useful astrological information required by an astrologer. These are used typically by an vedic astrologer to elect a suitable day and time to perform various auspicious tasks like marriage, starting new business, signing contracts, agreements, travel, etc. Panchangam is also used to avoid the bad days and times. It is consulted for finding and selecting an appropriate and auspicious time for important occasions, ceremonies or actions like marriage, education, travel, starting new business or project, examination, interview, etc.

Basically, Panchang is used to match the current position of planets with the position of planets in a person's astrological chart so as to find and if required, to look ahead to find astrologically good days and times for that person. It is an ancient method to synchronize our actions with good times so as to reduce obstacles and increase our chances for success. In other words, it helps in knowing what days and times are good for an individual and which ones may cause problems so as to avoid them. It is clear that Panchang is a helpful and practical use of Indian vedic astrology and with its help, we can know the nature and quality of any day in advance. The belief is that time is an energy having unique qualities which can be reined in for our comprehensive improvement.

Apart from the above five elements, the traditional Panchangam also gives many other details like sunrise and sunset time, moon rise and moonset time, lagnas in a day, good and bad periods, waxing or waning phase of the moon, ephemeris, etc. Traditional astrologers use these elements of Panchangam to contruct birth charts and to look ar transit of planets. The detailed daily panchangam for any date and place including Chandra Bala, Ashtama Chandra, Rahukalam, Yamagandam, Gulika, etc.

For all calculations in our Panchangam we follow the Chitrapaksha Ayanamsa, popularly called Lahiri Ayanamsa.

The five parts of Panchang are described below :

• Vara (Din) or Day of the Week
• Tithi or the Lunar day
• Nakshatra or the Vedic Constellations (Star)
• Yoga
• Karan