Amrit Kaal today in Gwalior

Amrit Kaal belongs to the nakshatra, not to the clock. The Moon's stay in each nakshatra — between about 19 and 27 hours — is divided into 60 ghatikas; Amrit Kaal opens at that nakshatra's amrita ghatika and lasts four of them. Varjyam, the window to avoid, is the same four ghatikas taken at its visha ghatika. The table gives both for every nakshatra.

Where tables differ: for most nakshatras the amrita ghatika is the visha ghatika plus 24. For Ashwini, Rohini and Mula that sum runs past the end of the nakshatra, and almanacs print a separate value; the three here (42, 52 and 44) are Drik Panchang's, read back from its printed windows.

Amrit Kaal (Amrita Kalam, Amrit Ghadi) is counted the most auspicious stretch of the nakshatra, used to begin worship, a journey or new work. It is a different thing from the Amrit Choghadiya: the choghadiya is an eighth of the day or night fixed by the weekday; Amrit Kaal is set by the Moon's nakshatra and moves every day.

Because it follows the Moon, Amrit Kaal can fall at night, can come twice in one sunrise-to-sunrise day, and some days have none. It is the same instant in every city; only the clock abroad and the day it is counted in change.

Today's Choghadiya in Gwalior