A birth chart, called a kundali or janam kundali in Vedic astrology, is a map of the sky at the moment and place of your birth. It is the starting point for almost every traditional consultation. If you are new to astrology, the chart can look intimidating, so here is a plain-language overview of its main parts.
What you need to draw a chart
Three details are used: your date of birth, your time of birth and your place of birth. The place matters because it sets the local sky, and the time matters because the rising sign changes roughly every two hours. Even a small error in birth time can shift the chart.
The main elements
The ascendant (Lagna)
The ascendant is the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at birth. It anchors the chart and determines how the twelve houses are arranged.
The twelve houses (Bhavas)
Each house is traditionally associated with an area of life, such as self, family, work, partnership or learning. Which planets sit in or influence a house is part of how an astrologer reads that area.
The nine planets (Grahas)
Vedic astrology uses the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, together with Rahu and Ketu, the two lunar nodes. Each carries traditional associations and is read by its sign, house and relationship to other planets.
Signs and nakshatras
The twelve signs (rashis) form the zodiac. The 27 nakshatras, or lunar mansions, divide it more finely and are especially important for the Moon’s position and for timing systems.
Timing: the dashas
Vedic astrology also uses planetary periods, called dashas. The most widely used system divides life into sequences of periods ruled by different planets, and astrologers study them as a way of thinking about timing.
A note on the sidereal zodiac
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which is tied to the fixed stars. Western astrology typically uses the tropical zodiac. The two can place the same planet in different signs, which is why your Vedic sign may differ from the one you know from newspapers.
How to use this knowledge
A chart is best treated as a reflective tool. It does not fix your future, and it cannot replace your own judgement. If you would like a chart explained in the context of your own questions, see our consultation services or get in touch.
This article offers a general perspective from traditional Vedic astrology. Astrology is a belief system and not a science, and nothing here is a prediction, a guarantee, or a substitute for professional medical, legal or financial advice.
Published by Pankaj Khanna.
