For a wedding, families go to a pandit. For a car delivery, a property registration or a shop opening, most just search "shubh muhurat this month" and pick the first list. Here's what a good date actually needs, so you can judge any list - or let our muhurat finder do it for you.
Buying a vehicle
- Nakshatras: Ashwini, Pushya, Punarvasu, Mrigashira, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Anuradha, Shravana, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha, Revati - mostly the "movable" (chara) and "light" (laghu) stars, apt for something that moves.
- Weekdays: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; Tuesday and Saturday avoided by custom.
- Avoid: Amavasya, rikta tithis (4th, 9th, 14th), Bhadra, Rahu kaal for the delivery and first drive.
- Tip: dealers often deliver on Dhanteras and Akshaya Tritiya; those days are popular, not the only good ones.
Buying or registering property
- Nakshatras: Mrigashira, Punarvasu, Magha, Vishakha, Anuradha, Mula, Revati; fixed stars (Rohini, the three Uttaras) for long-term ownership.
- Weekdays: Thursday and Friday are favoured; Tuesday avoided for registration by many.
- Bhoomi pujan (starting construction) follows the stricter griha pravesh-type rules: avoid Kharmas, combust Venus/Jupiter and Adhik maas.
- Practical: the registration slot at the sub-registrar's office is often fixed; choose the day by muhurat and the time within your slot outside Rahu kaal.
Opening a shop or starting a business
- Nakshatras: Ashwini, Rohini, Pushya, Hasta, Chitra, Anuradha, Revati, Uttara Phalguni/Ashadha/Bhadrapada.
- Weekdays: Wednesday (Budh - trade), Thursday and Friday.
- Time: Labh or Amrit choghadiya, or Abhijit muhurat around noon (except Wednesday).
- Akshaya Tritiya, Diwali muhurat trading and Gudi Padwa are traditional, but crowded.
Personal checks lists can't do
For an important purchase, the date should also be good for the buyer:
- Tara bala - count from your birth nakshatra to the day's; avoid the 3rd, 5th and 7th.
- Chandra bala - the day's Moon in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 10th or 11th sign from your Moon sign is good; the 8th and 12th are avoided.
Give your birth details to our muhurat finder and it checks both for every day in the window.
Common mistakes
- Using a generic list for the wrong city - a nakshatra can end at 9 am in one city's calendar and the date still looks "good".
- Starting in Rahu kaal because the date was good.
- Ignoring Bhadra - many lists don't mention it.
- Forgetting combust Venus for marriage-type events, and Kharmas for griha pravesh and bhoomi pujan.