Timings

Where will I get exact timetable of sunrise and sunset for my place?
You can fill in the timetable request form giving your detailed address and we will send the time table for your city, town or village by email.

Or alternatively download the Agnihotra Buddy app for SmartPhones.

Why are the timings on my sunrise/sunset time sheet different from those in the newspaper?
For Agnihotra, we use a specific definition for sunrise and sunset. That definition is used in the computer program which calculates our time sheets. The timings given in newspapers refer to visible sunrise/sunset, and this is a different definition than that used for Agnihotra. (See next question.)

Why is there a difference between the visible sunrise/sunset timing and the one given in the computer timetable?
There is always a difference between visible and true sunrise/sunset timings. This difference is due mainly to a refraction effect (bending) as the sun’s rays enter the atmosphere of the earth as the density of the medium through which the light travels changes.

There are several definitions of sunrise/sunset given in Vedas. For Agnihotra the definition used is that sunrise and sunset are when the middle of the sun’s disc is exactly at the horizon. But because of refraction we do not see the exact position of the sun – the top edge of the visible sun would be approximately one and a half discs above the horizon. Practically speaking, this means that at sunrise the sun will appear to have already risen at the correct timing of Agnihotra; at sunset the sun will appear to have not yet set at the correct timing. The difference in time between the visible and true timings may vary by up to as much as five (5) minutes.

Computer generated timetables for a whole year, for any particular place, are available up to seconds accuracy using software developed in Germany. The Agnihotra Buddy app uses the same calculation.

About the timings – how late is too late?
You should allow enough time to set up for Agnihotra and then you can count down the seconds until Agnihotra time, in order to do Agnihotra exactly on time to the second. The fire in the pyramid should be fully ablaze exactly at Agnihotra time.

It is difficult for me to practice Agnihotra at the times given. Can I practice another Yajnya instead?
No. Agnihotra establishes the basic healing cycle. The other Yajnyas strengthen that cycle.

If I miss the Agnihotra timing, should I still do it anyway?
No. If you miss the timing, it is not Agnihotra and the healing effects will not be there.

How can I set my watch to the second?
We suggest that first you get a good watch (good quality digital is best, e.g. Timex or Casio). It is a one-time only expense. You can adjust that watch by tuning to BBC Radio where they give beeps on the hour just before the hourly news bulletin.

In some very large cities, the telephone directory has a listing for Time, and that time service should provide the correct time to the second.

Alternatively you can use the clock on our website. The exactness of time given on this website depends on a good, high speed internet connection. If the internet connection is too slow, the time given is not exact enough for Agnihotra.

Another option is the clock on the website https://time.is/ which is useful for synchronizing your computer or smartphone clock with the atomic clock at the Naval Observatory in USA.