Photo: Bijaya2043, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hindu weddings in Nepal are held only on auspicious wedding dates called bibaha saait (विवाह साइत), also known as vivah muhurat. A saait is a date and an exact time fixed from the panchang. No weddings are held during Chaturmas (about July to November) or while Jupiter or Venus is set, so saait dates fall between about November and July. Families pick a date from that year's saait list and confirm the exact time with their pandit.
A saait is worked out from several factors checked together: the tithi (lunar day), the nakshatra, the weekday, the lagna (rising sign) at the time of the ceremony, the position of Guru (Jupiter) and Shukra (Venus), and the time of year. Only days where these factors all pass make it onto the list, so out of 365 days a year usually has only a short list of wedding dates.
This guide explains how a bibaha saait is chosen, which months have no weddings and why, how the yearly saait list is published, and where to see this year's list on Katigate.
What is a bibaha saait?
A bibaha saait is the auspicious date and exact time fixed for a Hindu wedding ceremony. It is taken from the panchang, the Hindu almanac that records five elements for each day: tithi, nakshatra, yoga, karana and vara (weekday). Tradition holds that starting the marriage at this time gives the couple a stable and fortunate married life.
Saait (साइत) is the everyday Nepali word. Vivah muhurat is the Sanskrit name used in printed almanacs. Both mean the same thing: a fixed auspicious start time. Because the factors depend on the moon and the planets, the auspicious dates change every year, and a new list is published for each Bikram Sambat year.
If the panchang terms are new to you, the guide on how to read today's Panchang explains the five elements used in every muhurat calculation.
How is the wedding muhurat calculated?
A pandit checks several panchang elements at the same time and keeps only the time windows where all of them are favourable. The tithi, nakshatra, weekday, lagna and the position of the main planets are all checked before a time is declared fit for the wedding rites.
The main factors
Tithi (lunar day): Dwitiya, Tritiya, Panchami, Saptami, Ekadashi and Trayodashi are generally preferred. Chaturthi, Navami, Chaturdashi and Aunsi (Amavasya) are avoided.
Nakshatra (lunar mansion): The nakshatras accepted for marriage are Rohini, Mrigashira, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Mula, Uttarashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada and Revati. Days in other nakshatras are left out.
Lagna (rising sign): A stable, benefic lagna is fixed for the exact time of kanyadan and saptapadi. Lagnas where malefic planets are strong are usually avoided.
Vara (weekday): Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are commonly preferred. Some traditions avoid Tuesday and Saturday for weddings.
Traditional date selection can consider Tithi, Nakshatra, Lagna and other factors. Katigate’s daily Panchang gives daily reference information; it does not explain every inclusion or exclusion in the yearly ceremony list.
Why are no weddings held during Chaturmas?
Chaturmas is a period of about four months when Lord Vishnu is believed to be asleep. It starts on Harishayani Ekadashi in Ashad (around July) and ends on Haribodhini Ekadashi in Kartik (around November). During these months, weddings and other major samskaras such as bratabandha are traditionally not held.
The religious reason is that Vishnu, who is treated as the witness of vows, is resting, so families wait for him to wake before starting a marriage. Chaturmas also covers the monsoon, rice planting and the big festivals (Teej, Dashain, Tihar), when families are busy with farm work and festival duties.
| Period | Approx. Gregorian window | Wedding status |
|---|---|---|
| Before Harishayani Ekadashi | Until ~July | Saait available |
| Chaturmas | ~July to ~November | No weddings |
| After Haribodhini Ekadashi | From ~November | Peak saait season |
This is why most Nepali weddings fall in late autumn, winter and spring. The exact start and end of Chaturmas move each year with the lunar calendar, so check the current year's list before booking a venue.
What are Guru Tara and Shukra Tara?
Guru Tara and Shukra Tara refer to whether Jupiter and Venus can be seen in the sky. When either planet is too close to the Sun to be visible, it is called "ast" (set or combust). No wedding saait is given while either planet is ast, because Guru and Shukra are the two planets that govern married life.
Guru (Jupiter) stands for the husband and for wisdom. Shukra (Venus) stands for love, the wife and married happiness. If either is ast, the date is skipped even when its tithi and nakshatra are good.
Guru ast: Jupiter is combust, often for several weeks, which removes many spring dates in some years.
Shukra ast: Venus is combust and blanks out dates that would otherwise qualify.
This is one of the main reasons some years have far fewer wedding dates than others. Couples with other concerns in their horoscopes also check for Manglik dosha before fixing a date.
How are the yearly wedding dates published?
For each Bikram Sambat year, panchang makers and astrologers publish a list of bibaha saait dates with exact muhurat times. The list is made from that year's panchang once the positions of Guru, Shukra and the lunar factors are known. Families and priests use it as the starting point for choosing a date.
A ceremony list applies to its stated year. Some lists include time windows and others only dates. Katigate’s web list shows dates, weekdays and Tithi; do not carry a date or time over to the next BS year.
Checking wedding dates on Katigate
The Saait page provides a yearly shortlist by ceremony, with BS and AD dates, weekday and Tithi. It does not give a personalised wedding time or a birth-chart match. Check the BS year, shortlist dates that suit both families, and ask your priest to confirm the ceremony time and local rules before booking.
Many families do a horoscope match before choosing a saait. The usual order is to run a Kundali Milan (36 Gun Ashtakoot) for the couple first, then pick a date from the saait list. If you are also moving into a new house around the wedding, the griha pravesh muhurat guide uses the same panchang rules.
Steps to fix a wedding date
Get both horoscopes (or at least birth dates, times and places) and do a kundali match.
Open this year's saait list and shortlist dates outside Chaturmas that suit both families.
Take the shortlist to your family pandit to confirm the exact time for kanyadan and saptapadi.
Book the venue, priest and catering early, because the few saait days in peak season fill up fast.
More tools on Katigate
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a wedding happen without a saait?
A Saait is a religious scheduling custom. Families and communities differ in whether they use one. Civil marriage requirements are a separate question; a favourable date does not by itself establish legal validity.
Why are there so few wedding dates in some years?
Wedding dates drop when Guru (Jupiter) or Shukra (Venus) is combust for a long time, or when Chaturmas and festival months take up a large part of the year. Both Guru and Shukra must be visible for a valid saait, so a year with long combust periods has fewer wedding dates than usual.
Do regional traditions change the saait rules?
Yes. Tithi, nakshatra, lagna and planetary visibility are checked everywhere, but families follow regional or community customs, and pandits weigh the factors differently. Some communities add their own days to avoid. Confirm the saait with your family priest, especially when two horoscopes have to be matched.
How do I find this year's wedding saait quickly?
Open the Saait page and choose the wedding category and BS year. Read the date, weekday and Tithi, then confirm the ceremony time separately. A listed day is a shortlist entry, not a guaranteed personal Muhurat.