How to read a Kundli
Short answer
To read a Kundli, start with the Lagna (the 1st house), then see which sign falls in each of the 12 houses, which planets sit in them, and where each house’s lord is placed. Then check planet strength, the Moon sign and nakshatra, and finally the dasha running now — that tells you which part of the chart is active.
Step 1: Find the Lagna
In a North Indian chart the houses are fixed: the top centre diamond is always the 1st house (Lagna), and houses run anticlockwise from there. The number written in each house is the sign, from 1 (Aries) to 12 (Pisces). So if the top diamond shows 5, the person has a Leo Lagna.
In a South Indian chart the signs are fixed in the same boxes every time — Pisces top left, then clockwise — and the Lagna box is marked with a line or the word “Lagna”.
Step 2: Read the houses and their signs
Each of the 12 houses covers an area of life: self, wealth, siblings, home, children, health, marriage, longevity, fortune, career, gains and losses. The sign in a house colours how that area works, and the planet that rules that sign becomes the house’s lord.
Step 3: Note the planets in each house
Write down where the nine grahas sit. A planet in a house brings its own nature into that area of life: Jupiter tends to expand and protect, Saturn to slow down and test, Mars to energise, Venus to harmonise.
Step 4: Follow the house lords
This is the step most beginners skip. The lord of a house carries that house’s matters wherever it goes. If the 10th lord (career) sits in the 7th house (partnership), work and partnerships tend to be linked — business with others, or a career that involves the public.
Step 5: Judge strength
A planet is generally stronger in its own sign or its exaltation sign, and weaker in its debilitation sign. Also note retrograde planets and planets very close to the Sun (combust). Aspects matter too: every planet aspects the 7th house from itself, and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have extra special aspects.
Step 6: Check the Moon sign and nakshatra
The Moon’s sign (your rashi) and nakshatra describe the mind and emotions, and are used for daily forecasts, Sade Sati and compatibility.
Step 7: Look at the current dasha
The Vimshottari dasha tells you which planet’s period you are in. The houses that planet rules and occupies are the parts of your chart most active right now. A good placement in a dormant period may show little; an ordinary one in its own dasha can become very visible.
Common questions
- Can I read my own Kundli without an astrologer?
- You can learn the basics — Lagna, houses, planets and dashas — and understand a lot about your chart. Detailed judgement, such as weighing many factors against each other, takes practice.
- Which is more important, the Lagna or the Moon sign?
- Both. The Lagna sets the structure of the whole chart; the Moon sign shows the mind and is used for timing and daily forecasts. A full reading uses both.
- What do the numbers in a North Indian Kundli mean?
- They are sign numbers, not house numbers: 1 is Aries, 2 Taurus, and so on to 12, Pisces. The house is fixed by position, starting from the top centre diamond.
Sources and further reading
Jyotish is a traditional system for reflection. Interpretations vary between schools; this guide describes common practice.