Muhurat (auspicious time)
A muhurat is an auspicious window chosen for an important beginning, such as a wedding or griha pravesh. The word also names a unit of time: one-fifteenth of the day or the night, about 48 minutes.
Also known as: Muhurta, Muhurtham, Muhurtam, Mahurat, Shubh muhurat, Shubh muhurtham
As a unit, a muhurta is one-thirtieth of a full day and night, or two ghatis: about 48 minutes, varying with the length of the day. Panchangs divide daytime into 15 muhurtas and night into 15 more, and some, such as Abhijit, Vijaya, Nishita and Brahma muhurta, have names of their own.
As a chosen time, a shubh muhurat brings several checks together. The tithi, nakshatra, weekday, yoga and karana must suit the activity; periods such as Rahu Kaal and Bhadra, and seasons such as Kharmas, Chaturmas and Adhik maas, are avoided; and for personal events the rising sign (lagna) and the Tarabala and Chandrabala of the people involved are weighed too.
Two misconceptions are common. A muhurat does not guarantee success; it means starting under the best conditions available. And there is rarely one perfect moment. A good muhurat avoids the clearly unfavourable and picks the strongest window that fits real life.