Kundali (birth chart)
A kundali is the map of the sky at the moment and place of birth: the rising sign, the sidereal positions of the nine grahas, and their houses. Hastro draws it in the North and South Indian styles with a navamsa.
What a kundali shows
The chart is drawn from three inputs: date, time and place of birth. From them come the lagna (ascendant), the sign rising in the east at that moment; the positions of Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu in sidereal signs and nakshatras; and the twelve houses counted from the lagna. Rahu and Ketu are the Moon’s nodes, computed as the true (osculating) node on Hastro.
Chart styles
The North Indian chart fixes the houses and moves the signs; the diamond at the top is always the first house. The South Indian chart fixes the signs and marks the lagna. Both show the same data; Hastro lets you switch, and adds a zodiac wheel with exact degrees.
Divisional charts
The navamsa (D9) divides each sign into nine parts and is read for marriage and the strength of planets. Hastro draws it alongside the rashi chart.
FAQ
How precise does the birth time need to be?
The lagna changes sign about every two hours and the Moon’s nakshatra about every day, so an error of a few minutes rarely changes them, but it can near a boundary. Hastro shows the degrees so you can judge.
Which ayanamsa does the chart use?
Lahiri by default, selectable on the Kundali tab; the value is printed on the chart.
ਸੰਬੰਧਿਤ: Lagna (ascendant) Navamsa Nakshatra Ayanamsa