A janam kundli, also called a birth chart, is a snapshot of the sky at the moment of a birth. It shows where the planets stood, which sign was rising, and where the Moon stood in its path. Families have used kundlis for generations before marriage discussions, and many people also keep one as a record of their own birth. This guide explains what a janam kundli contains, what details are needed to make one, and how to read the basics without overclaiming what a chart can do.
Use the calculator at the top of this page to make your janam kundli from the birth details. The guide below explains what a kundli contains and how to read the basics.
What a Janam Kundli Contains
A janam kundli is a chart, not a single number. Its main parts are the rising sign, the Moon sign, the nakshatra, and the positions of the planets across the 12 signs. Each part adds one layer to the picture, and the chart only makes sense when the parts are read together.
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Lagna | The sign rising on the eastern horizon at birth |
| Moon sign | The sign the Moon stood in at birth |
| Nakshatra | The lunar mansion the Moon stood in at birth |
| Sun position | The sign the Sun stood in at birth |
| Planet positions | Where each planet stood across the 12 signs at birth |
| Houses | The 12 divisions of the chart that frame each placement |
The rising sign, called Lagna, is the fastest moving part of the chart. It changes about every two hours, which is why an exact birth time matters so much for a full kundli. The Moon sign and nakshatra move more slowly, but they still need a correct date and time to be placed properly.
Planet positions complete the picture. Each planet stands in one sign at birth, and the pattern of those placements is what a reader studies. No single placement tells the whole story, and a good reading always looks at the pattern rather than one planet on its own.
Details Needed to Make a Kundli
Three details are needed: birth date, birth time and birth place. The date and time place the planets, and the place sets the local time correctly so the chart matches the real sky at that birth. Without the place, the local time can be wrong, and the whole chart can shift.
Birth time is the detail most often missing, and it is also the most important for a full kundli. A time that is off by a couple of hours can change the rising sign completely, while the Moon sign and nakshatra may stay the same. That is why a kundli made without a time should always carry a clear warning about what is certain and what is estimated.
When the time is not known, the usual fallback is local noon, with a warning attached. The Moon sign and nakshatra from such a chart are estimates with that warning, and the rising sign from such a chart should not be relied on at all.
How to Read the Basics
Start with three things: the rising sign, the Moon sign and the nakshatra. Together they give the frame of the chart. The rising sign shows the chart’s starting point, the Moon sign shows where the Moon stood, and the nakshatra refines the Moon’s position to one of 27 sections.
Next, look at the planet positions as a group. Notice which signs hold the most planets, and whether the Moon, Sun and rising sign point in a similar direction or pull apart. A chart where the main placements agree reads differently from a chart where they pull apart, and that overall shape matters more than any single placement.
Then look at the houses, which frame each placement in one of 12 areas of life in tradition. A planet’s meaning changes with the house it stands in, so the same planet in the same sign can read differently in two charts. This is the part of reading that needs the most care, and it is where a full reading earns its value over a quick summary.
Janam Kundli and Matching
Matching uses only part of a kundli. The Ashtakoot score compares the two Moon signs and the two nakshatras across eight kootas, giving a total out of 36. A full kundli goes further, adding the rising sign, the Sun position, the planet positions and the houses.
That is why a matching score and a kundli are not the same thing. A pair can have a matching score without anyone ever seeing their full kundlis, and a person can have a full kundli without ever having it matched with anyone. The Guna Milan hub explains the score in full, while the Dosha overview explains the flags that sit alongside it.
Families from different regions may also use different matching systems. The Porutham guide explains the South Indian system, which counts ten poruthams rather than 36 points, and the Guides hub walks through the basics behind both systems.
Limits to Keep in Mind
A kundli is guidance, not a prediction machine. It can frame a conversation about strengths, weak points and timing in tradition, but it cannot settle a marriage, and it cannot predict a person’s life in detail. Anyone who presents a chart as a final verdict is overclaiming what a chart can do.
That limit is a strength, not a weakness. A chart used honestly helps people talk openly about what matters to them, compare notes, and make their own decision with clearer eyes. A chart used as a verdict shuts that conversation down, and that helps nobody.
If a specific question about your own kundli comes up, live experts are for specific questions, and the service is 18 plus. Talk to a live expert
Disclaimer: Kundli matching is traditional guidance, not a scientific test and not a decision maker. Results do not predict health, children, money or job outcomes, and no result on this page should be treated as a final word on a marriage.
Last updated: 30 October 2026