What is a kundli (birth chart) and how to read it

A map of the sky at your birth

In Vedic astrology, a kundli (also called a janam kundli, janma patrika or birth chart) is a drawing of where the Sun, the Moon and the other planets stood in the sky when you were born, as seen from your birthplace. It is traditionally said to be a way of reflecting on a person's nature, habits and the seasons of life, the way a weather map describes the sky without deciding what you will do.

Two people born in the same city on the same day, but a few hours apart, can have quite different charts. That is why the details you give matter, and why a chart is described as personal.

What you need to make one

Three things are needed: your date of birth, your time of birth, and your place of birth. The place is used to find the exact sky overhead, and the time tells us which part of the zodiac was rising on the eastern horizon.

If you do not know your birth time, that is common and nothing to worry about. A chart can still show which sign each planet was in, but the ascendant and the houses cannot be worked out without the time, and any timing details become approximate.

The main parts of a kundli

Whatever the style of drawing, almost every kundli is made of the same few ingredients:

• The ascendant (lagna): the sign that was rising at your birth. It is the starting point of the whole chart.
• The twelve signs (rashis): Aries (Mesha) to Pisces (Meena), the twelve parts of the zodiac.
• The twelve houses (bhavas): twelve areas of life, counted from the ascendant.
• The planets (grahas): the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, plus Rahu and Ketu, which are the Moon's two nodes.
• The Moon sign (rashi) and Moon nakshatra: the sign and the lunar star-group where the Moon stood.
• The dasha periods: a timeline of planetary chapters, usually the Vimshottari dasha.

How to read it, step by step

Start with the ascendant. In Vedic astrology, the lagna is traditionally said to describe how a person meets the world: the outer temperament, the starting point from which everything else is counted. Then look at the Moon sign, which is traditionally linked with the mind and feelings.

Next, see which planet sits in which house. Each house is a topic, such as home, work, relationships or learning, and a planet placed there is said to colour that topic with its own qualities. Mars is described as energetic and direct, Mercury as curious and quick, Saturn as patient and serious. These are old symbols, and they are best held lightly, as prompts for thought.

Finally, look at the dasha timeline. The dasha tells you which planet's chapter is running now. Traditionally, that planet's themes are said to come forward during its period. You can read more in our guide to the Vimshottari dasha.

North Indian and South Indian styles

The same chart can be drawn in different layouts. In the North Indian style the houses stay fixed in a diamond shape and the signs move around them, with the ascendant always in the top centre. In the South Indian style the signs stay fixed in a square and the ascendant is marked in one of them. The information is the same; only the picture changes. Pick the one you find easier to read.

What a kundli is not

A kundli is not a verdict, and it cannot decide your future. Many people find it a thoughtful way to notice patterns in their own life and to ask better questions, and that is how we suggest using it. Please do not use it to make decisions about health, money, law or relationships. For those, speak to a qualified professional and to people who know you.

Be a little careful with anyone who uses a chart to frighten you or to sell you something. A gentle reading never needs fear, and nothing in traditional astrology says that you must spend money to be well.

Try it, free

Vedikshana's AI guide is free. Share your birth details and it works out your chart, shows it in simple words, and lets you ask questions in English, Hindi or Hinglish. It offers guidance and reflection, not prediction. You can read how it works in our guide to the free AI astrologer.