Porutham: South Indian Matching Before Marriage
Porutham is the South Indian system for matching two birth charts before marriage. It compares the Moon sign and the birth star of each person across ten factors, and families read the factors one by one rather than adding them into a single score. Like the North Indian system, it is a traditional guide for discussion. It never decides a marriage on its own.
If your family follows the South Indian tradition, you will hear the word porutham long before you hear a number. A match is talked about factor by factor: this one matched, that one did not, and this one needs a closer look. That style is the main difference from Guna Milan, which gives a total out of 36 points. Both systems read the same sky, the Moon sign and the nakshatra, but they present the answer in different ways.
The 10 poruthams at a glance
The list below is the commonly cited set of ten. The names and the order are widely shared, while small details vary by region and by tradition. The 10 porutham page explains each factor in full.
| Porutham | What it compares, in one line |
|---|---|
| Dina | Star counting from the girl’s star to the boy’s star, linked in tradition with daily harmony |
| Gana | Temperament groups Deva, Manushya and Rakshasa |
| Mahendra | Star counting linked in tradition with family continuity and wellbeing |
| Stree Deergha | Star counting linked in tradition with the wife’s wellbeing and general prosperity |
| Yoni | Animal symbols of the birth stars, and instinct compatibility |
| Rasi | Compatibility of the two Moon signs |
| Rasyadhipati | Friendship of the lords of the two Moon signs |
| Vasya | Mutual attraction and influence between the signs |
| Rajju | The nakshatra rope, grouped by body part, and the factor many families check first |
| Vedha | Star pairs traditionally listed as obstructing each other |
How Porutham differs from Guna Milan
Guna Milan is the North Indian system. It compares eight kootas and adds them into a total out of 36 points, read in bands on this site from 0 to 17, 18 to 24, 25 to 32, and 33 to 36. The 36 guna chart shows the full table. Porutham works differently. It checks ten factors and reports each one as matched or not, without a single total. A family may say eight of the ten matched, and then talk about the two that did not, rather than quoting one number.
Four of the factors will feel familiar if you know Guna Milan. Gana reads the same three temperament groups. Yoni reads the same animal symbols. Vasya reads the same mutual attraction as Vashya, and Rasyadhipati reads the same friendship of sign lords as Graha Maitri. The systems share these ideas because both grow from the same classical roots. They differ in how they count, how they weigh each factor, and how they present the result.
Which factors families weigh most
Not all ten carry equal weight in practice. Many South Indian families treat Rajju and Vedha as essential, and a mismatch there traditionally leads to a much closer look at the full charts. Some traditions give five factors extra weight: Rajju, Dina, Gana, Rasi and Yoni. Other families weigh all ten more evenly. The exact number a family expects to match also varies, so there is no single fixed pass mark to quote. What matters in every tradition is the full picture, including the rest of both charts, not one factor on its own.
One variation is worth knowing. Some Kerala traditions count twelve factors instead of ten, adding Nadi and Varna to the list. If you hear the number twelve in Kerala, that is the reason. The ten factor version remains the commonly cited standard in Tamil Nadu and in most South Indian practice.
An honest note about this site’s tool
The free tool on the homepage computes the North Indian Guna Milan score: eight kootas out of 36 points. It does not compute Porutham, and no result from it should be read as a Porutham answer. The Porutham pages on this site are explanations of the South Indian system, written so families can understand a Porutham reading they received elsewhere. If you need a Porutham check for a real proposal, it should come from a full reading of both charts, not from a Guna Milan score.
Frequently asked questions
Is Porutham the same as Guna Milan?
No. Both compare the Moon sign and the birth star, and they share some factors, but Porutham checks ten factors one by one while Guna Milan scores eight kootas out of 36 points. They are two systems from the same tradition, not two names for one check.
Can I check Porutham with this site’s tool?
Not at present. The tool gives the North Indian 36 point Guna Milan score only. It does not check Porutham, and a Guna Milan score is not a substitute for a Porutham reading.
How many poruthams should match?
Tradition does not fix one number for every family. Many families look for most of the ten to match, with Rajju and Vedha often treated as essential, but the expectation varies by region and by family. No single factor, and no count of factors, should end, cancel, or delay a marriage on its own. The decision belongs to the couple and their families.
Kundli Matching (kundlimatching.online) is an independent guidance website. The information here is traditional and for guidance only. It is not a guarantee or a prediction, and it is not a substitute for medical, legal or financial advice. Please take big decisions such as marriage with your own understanding and your family. Expert consultation is for adults aged 18 and over.
Last updated: 29 October 2026