If you are planning a wedding in the Hindu tradition you will notice that the calendar is full of gaps. For months at a time, priests say there is "no muhurat". Those gaps are not random. They follow four recognisable rules, and once you know them you can read any wedding calendar, ours included. This article explains each rule and then shows the 2026-27 calendar computed from the actual positions of the Sun, Moon, Jupiter and Venus.
1. Chaturmas: the four months of rest
Chaturmas ("four months") is the period from Devshayani Ekadashi, when Lord Vishnu is said to go to sleep, to Prabodhini (Dev Uthani) Ekadashi, when he wakes. Auspicious ceremonies such as weddings and housewarmings are traditionally avoided during these months, and the wedding season begins after Dev Uthani Ekadashi. On our calculation Chaturmas in 2026 runs from 25 July 2026 to 21 November 2026, and in 2027 from 14 July 2027 to 10 November 2027. The Ekadashi is found from the tithi at sunrise, so a local almanac may name the day before or after. Confirm the exact date with your priest.
2. Kharmas (Dhanur and Meena Sankranti)
Kharmas is the period when the Sun is in the sidereal sign of Sagittarius (Dhanu) or Pisces (Meena). The Sun moves into Dhanu around 16 December and leaves it around 14 January, and the same pattern repeats in the Meena month from mid-March to mid-April. Weddings and housewarmings are traditionally not held in Kharmas. It is why December and January wedding calendars look so sparse.
3. Guru asta and Shukra asta
When a planet is very close to the Sun, it is said to be asta (set or combust) and its influence is considered weak. Jupiter (Guru) is the planet of blessings and marriage for women's charts, and Venus (Shukra) the planet of relationships and marriage. Traditions avoid weddings when either is set. We treat Jupiter as set within 11 degrees of the Sun and Venus within 10 degrees, which are common textbook thresholds. These periods can last about a month each and do not coincide with the Sun's sign, so they are the least predictable gap.
4. Pitru Paksha
The fortnight devoted to honouring ancestors, from the full moon of Bhadrapada to the new moon, is also avoided for weddings, purchases and new beginnings.
What is left: the tithi, Nakshatra and weekday filters
Once the gaps are removed, the remaining days are narrowed by the Moon's Nakshatra (for example Rohini, Mrigashira, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Mula, Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada or Revati), by the tithi (the Rikta tithis and Ashtami, and the dark nights, are avoided) and by the weekday (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are preferred, and Tuesday is skipped). The final choice also involves a lagna time that your priest will give for the exact hour.
The 2026-27 calendar, computed
The table shows how many days in each month pass all the filters on our calculation, and which rule removes the rest. Click a month for the dates, Nakshatras and tithis.
| Month | Suitable days | Rules in force |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 1 | Chaturmas |
| December 2026 | 4 | Kharmas |
| January 2027 | 3 | Kharmas |
| February 2027 | 3 | - |
| March 2027 | 4 | Kharmas |
| April 2027 | 5 | Kharmas |
| May 2027 | 7 | - |
| June 2027 | 2 | - |
| July 2027 | 1 | Chaturmas, Venus set |
| August 2027 | 0 | Chaturmas, Venus set, Jupiter set |
| September 2027 | 0 | Chaturmas, Venus set, Jupiter set, Pitru Paksha |
| October 2027 | 0 | Chaturmas |
| November 2027 | 4 | Chaturmas |
| December 2027 | 2 | Kharmas |
Two things stand out. The season that opens after Dev Uthani Ekadashi in late November 2026 is short, because Kharmas starts in mid-December. And from July to October 2027 there are almost no dates at all, because Chaturmas, a Venus setting and a Jupiter setting overlap. If your family has a wedding in mind for that stretch, plan early: priests in those periods often rely on exceptions that a calendar cannot give you.
Before you fix the date
- Check the couple's compatibility with the free Gun Milan calculator and read how it works.
- Read the wedding muhurat guide for November and December 2026 (हिन्दी).
- Looking ahead to a family? The free Birth Planner shows Kundli-aligned birth windows for a baby, including windows that share the Moon sign, Nakshatra and Lagna of a celebrity you admire. It is based on astrology and only works inside the dates your doctor confirms are safe.
Frequently asked questions
When does the wedding season start in 2026?
After Dev Uthani (Prabodhini) Ekadashi, around 21 November 2026 on our calculation. Confirm the exact day with your priest.
Why are there no wedding dates from mid-December to mid-January?
The Sun is in Sagittarius (Dhanur Sankranti), the period called Kharmas, when weddings are traditionally avoided.
What does it mean when Venus or Jupiter is set?
The planet is too close to the Sun to be seen, so its effects are considered weak. Many traditions avoid weddings in those weeks.
Are these dates the final muhurat?
No. They are a shortlist from panchang rules. Your priest will confirm the date and the lagna time.
Next step
More from the blog
- Nadi Dosha Explained: What It Is, Which Nakshatras Share a Nadi, and the Usual Exceptions
- Gun Milan Explained: How the 36-Point Ashtakoota Match Works (With a Worked Example)
- Introducing AstroTwinz: Find Your Celebrity Twin and Plan a Birth With Your Doctor, All in One Vedic Astrology Platform
- Your Astrological Twin: How to Find the Celebrities Who Share Your Chart, and Plan a Birth Around One
- Vedic Kundli — your birth chart calculated with Swiss Ephemeris (Lahiri).
- Birth Planner — Kundli-aligned birth windows to choose between days your doctor already considers safe.
- Celebrity Twin Matching — find the stars who share your Moon Nakshatra and chart.
Based on astrology; please follow your doctor’s guidance on any birth.
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