In Indian astrology,
a set of five (pancha) successive nakshatras (the twenty-seven signs of the
lunar zodiac) (jyotisha).
With 2.25 lunar houses for each solar sign, the lunar houses
are evenly distributed over the solar zodiac.
The moon goes through each of these lunar houses in turn
throughout a lunar month, spending roughly a day in each.
The Panchak Nakshatra is seen to be a particularly unlucky
time, and those who follow astrology will typically restrict non-essential
activity until this period has gone.
