How Churki Creates Its Content

Churki publishes Vedic astrology guides, festival dates, Panchang timings and Kundali tools. This page explains how that content is made and checked, so you can judge how much to rely on it.

1. Calculations come from a computation, not from copying

The Panchang, tithi timings, festival dates, Nakshatra and Moon sign windows, and planetary stations on this site are computed from the real positions of the Sun, Moon and planets, using the open astronomy-engine library and the Lahiri ayanamsha. Times are in Indian Standard Time and, unless a page says otherwise, are for New Delhi. Sunrise, sunset and moonrise change by city, so the Churki Panchang lets you set your own location.

2. Articles are written with AI assistance

Our articles and guides are drafted with the help of AI tools and then reviewed before publication. AI can be wrong, so we add computed data where we can, remove claims we cannot support, and correct errors when we find them. The articles carry the name of Nishi Pandey, who reviews them.

3. What we say about classical sources

Where a practice comes from the classical Jyotish texts, we say so, and where it is a later or modern tradition, we say that too. For example, our Kaal Sarp Dosh guide notes that the dosha does not appear in the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra. Traditions and regional calendars differ, so for puja and muhurat decisions please confirm with your family priest or local pandit.

4. Corrections

If you find a mistake, email contact@churki.ai with the page and what is wrong. We check it and fix it. As an example, in November 2026 we corrected the Parana (fast-breaking) time in our festival calendar post after finding it did not follow the Hari Vasara rule.

5. What this content is not

Astrology is a tradition of guidance and reflection. Nothing on Churki is medical, legal or financial advice, and it cannot predict outcomes with certainty. AI replies in the Churki app are generated by a third-party AI service, as described in our Privacy Policy.

Why Diwali is on 8 November 2026

Diwali is celebrated on the Amavasya (new-moon) of the lunar month Kartik (Ashwin in the purnimanta system). The rule for Lakshmi Puja is that Amavasya must be present in the evening, in the Pradosh Kaal after sunset. In 2026 Amavasya begins at 11:28 AM on 8 November and ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November, so it covers the whole evening of 8 November and none of the evening of 9 November. That makes 8 November the Diwali night without any ambiguity.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat

The preferred time for Lakshmi-Ganesh Puja is the Pradosh Kaal, the period of roughly two hours and twenty-four minutes after sunset. In New Delhi that is about 5:31 PM to 7:55 PM. Many families also choose a Sthir Lagna (fixed ascendant) such as Vrishabha within this window. Your exact lagna timings depend on your city, so use the Churki app or the Panchang page for your location.

Nishita Kaal (the middle of the night) is also traditional for Tantric and Kali worship, but home Lakshmi Puja is normally done in Pradosh.

Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi) 2026

Chaturdashi runs from 10:48 AM on 7 November to 11:28 AM on 8 November. Because it is present at moonrise (about 5:36 AM) on 8 November, Naraka Chaturdashi and the Abhyanga Snan (ritual oil bath) fall on the morning of 8 November, between moonrise and sunrise (about 5:36 AM – 6:38 AM in New Delhi). The same day then continues into Diwali night.

Lakshmi Puja vidhi (step by step)

1. Clean the house and decorate the entrance with rangoli and diyas.
2. Place a clean cloth on a raised platform and set the idols or pictures of Lakshmi and Ganesh, with a kalash of water, a coconut and mango leaves.
3. Light a ghee lamp and take the sankalp (resolve) to worship with devotion.
4. Worship Ganesh first, then offer Lakshmi flowers (lotus is preferred), roli, rice, sweets and fruit.
5. Recite the Lakshmi Ashtottara or Shri Suktam and perform the aarti.
6. Light diyas in every room, at the doorstep and in the courtyard.

What changes by city

Tithi start and end times are the same everywhere in the world, but sunset, and therefore the Pradosh window, shifts by city. Cities in the east see an earlier sunset and cities in the west a later one. Always use your own city's sunset. Traditions also differ; where two calendars disagree, follow your family pandit.

Frequently asked questions