Panchang for Wednesday, 4 August 2027
| Tithi | Dwitiya |
|---|---|
| Paksha | Shukla |
| Nakshatra | Magha, pada 3 |
| Yoga | Variyana |
| Karana | Kaulava |
| Vara | Budhavara |
| Sunrise (Ujjain, IST) | 05:58 |
| Sunset (Ujjain, IST) | 19:07 |
Today's tithi is Dwitiya, in the Shukla paksha, the waxing half of the lunar month. The Moon moves through Magha nakshatra, pada 3. The vara is Budhavara, and the panchang's remaining limbs are Variyana yoga and Kaulava karana.
Dwitiya in Shukla paksha
Shukla Dwitiya is the second tithi of the bright fortnight, running from 12 to 24 degrees of separation between the Moon and the Sun, and it is usually the first evening the new crescent can actually be seen.
This is the tithi of chandra darshan, the sighting of the returning Moon. Look low in the west about twenty minutes after sunset for a thin curve with its horns turned away from where the Sun went down. It sets quickly, within an hour or so of the Sun, and it takes a clear horizon to catch. Missing it is normal; the tithi runs whether or not the weather cooperates.
In the classical grouping Dwitiya belongs to the Bhadra tithis, the second, seventh and twelfth, and the traditional deity is Brahma, the maker. The associations follow the sky: something has appeared that was not visible yesterday and is not yet substantial. Foundations, first steps, and things that need protecting while they are small.
The best known observance on this tithi falls in the bright fortnight of Kartika, when brothers and sisters mark the day together. Regional practice varies widely, which is worth remembering generally: the tithi is astronomy and the festival is culture, and the second is far more local than the first.