Ghat Chakra and the Afflictions to Natal Moon Rasi

There is a concept called Ghat Chakra which is based on the theory of specific components getting afflicted based on the Moon (Janma) Rasi in which one takes birth. The sections that get affected are the elements of Panchang in addition to Ascendant, Moon and Lunar Month. All one needs to know is the Moon Rasi in which one takes birth as that happens to be the fundamental premise based on which Ghat Chakra is determined. 'Ghat' literally translates as danger or bruise or inimical. In essence it can be termed as something of an unpleasant nature or troublesome incident taking place during particular moments of day and time depending purely on the moon rasi in which one attains birth. Listing below 10 of the components that come under the radar of Ghat Chakra:

1) Ghat Tithi
2) Ghat Vara
3) Ghat Nakshatra
4) Ghat Yoga
5) Ghat Karana
6) Ghat Lagna Same Sex
7) Ghat Lagna Opposite Sex
8) Ghat Chandra Male
9) Ghat Chandra Female
10) Ghat Lunar Month

Listed below is a tabular list of all the affected constituents that come within the scanner of Ghat Chakra based on the Janma Rasi arising at birth.

Ghat Tithi:
There are basically 15 Tithis each of the brighter half and darker half of which these Tithis are further categorized into 5 groups comprising of 3 Tithis each listed as below
Nanda Tithi 1,6,11 - Pratipada, Sashti, Ekadashi
Bhadra Tithi 2,7,12 - Dwitiya, Sapthami, Dwadashi
Jaya Tithi 3,8,13 - Tritiya, Ashtami, Triyodashi
Rikhta Tithi 4,9,14 - Chaturthi, Navami, Chaturdashi
Poorna Tithi 5,10,15 - Panchami, Dasami, Pournima/Amma Vasya
The concept of Ghat Chakra on Tithi works in the following means. Let's say one is born in the Janma Rasi of Karka (Cancer). In this case the Ghat Tithi happens to be Bhadra which denotes the 2nd, 7th and 12th Tithi. Hence if any of Dwitiya, Sapthami or Dwadashi Tithi is operating it can indicate that a Karka Rasi born person can end up attaining danger on these times when the Tithi is functioning.

Ghat Vara:
These are basically the days of the week from Sunday to Saturday. Based on Janma Rasi at birth, a particular day is said to cause harm. For instance a Kanya Rasi born native may face some inopportune event taking place on a Saturday. Please however note a day or Vara runs from Sunrise up until next day Sunrise and it doesn't work on the modern definition of a day being defined from 12AM in the night till next day midnight 12AM.

Ghat Nakshatra:
This indicates the Nakshatra constellation of Moon that gets affected based on the Janma Rasi at birth. There are 27 Nakshatras and one particular Nakshatra for each Janma Rasi causes danger of some sort. As an illustration, if one were born in the Janma Rasi of Simha, then Moola Nakshatra becomes Ghat which can trigger some unfortunate incident when Moon is transiting in the Nakshatra of Moola.

Ghat Yoga:
Like Nakshatras, Yogas are also 27 in Number and a particular Yoga is said to causes trouble to each of the Janma Rasis. For example, if someone were born in Mesha Rasi, Vishkumba Yoga happens to be Ghat and when this Yoga is in operation it can cause affliction to a Mesha Rasi born native.

Ghat Karana:
Karanas are derived from Tithi and basically half a Tithi is said to constitute a Karana. There are totally 30 Tithis which means the number of Karanas should be 60 in number. However that is not the case as the Karanas are divided into 2 types viz Movable and Fixed Karana with 7 of the Karanas repeating itself 8 times and 4 of them being fixed in nature. Hence the total of 60 is divided into (7*8) plus (4*1) summing up to 11 in number. For each of the Janma Rasis, a particular Karana comes under the ambit of Ghat and causes issues. For a Dhanus Rasi born native, Taitula Karana is said to be Ghat and can indicate trouble.

Ghat Lagna Same Sex:
For each of the Janma Rasis, a particular Lagna or Ascendant is said to cause issues. This is as per the same sex. For instance let's say a male is born in the Janma Rasi of Meena or Pisces. For this male, another male having rising Lagna of Simha or Leo is said to cause problems and likewise for a female born in Makara Rasi, another female born in Kumbha Lagna can cause issues. It can also be inferred that during the rising Ghat Lagnas during a day which would be approximately 2 hours, a bad event can happen with another individual belonging to the same sex.

Ghat Lagna Opposite Sex:
For each of the Janma Rasis, a particular Lagna or Ascendant is said to cause issues. This is as per the opposite sex. For instance let's say a male is born in the Janma Rasi of Meena or Pisces. For this male, a female having rising Lagna of Kumbha or Aquarius can cause problems and likewise for a female born in Makara Rasi, a male born in Simha Lagna can pull up some issues. It can also be inferred that during the rising Ghat Lagnas during a day which would be approximately 2 hours, a bad event can happen with another individual belonging to the opposite sex.

Ghat Chandra Male:
For each of the Janma Rasis, a specific rasi of the Moon itself causes opposition. This is as per the Male version. As an illustration, it can be said that a native born in the Janma Rasi of Rishabha or Taurus irrespective of whether the person is male or female can face some issues from a male native born in Dhanus Rasi. It can also be inferred that during the rising Ghat Rasi which rises for about 2 and a quarter days, some problem can be faced from male natives during this time zone.

Ghat Chandra Female:
For each of the Janma Rasis, a specific rasi of the Moon itself causes opposition. This is as per the Female version. As an illustration, it can be said that a native born in the Janma Rasi of Mithuna or Gemini irrespective of whether the person is male or female can face some issues from a female native born in Kumbha Rasi. It can also be inferred that during the rising Ghat Rasi which rises for about 2 and a quarter days, some problem can be faced from female natives during this time zone.

Ghat Lunar Month:
Each of the Janma Rasis are associated with a Ghat Lunar month which approximately is in operation for about 30 days during a year. A Lunar month starts from Shukla Pratipada which is the first day of the brighter half and ends during Amma Vasya which is the last day of the darker half. When this Lunar month is effective, it can cause some worries to the native born in a Janma Rasi for which the Lunar month happens to be Ghat. As a case in point, for a Thula Rasi native, Magha Lunar month happens to be Ghat which usually runs for about 30 days between January to February.

Summarized Illustration:
Case 1 : Female Native born in Vrischika Rasi
Let's take the case of a female native born in Vrischika or Scorpio Rasi. The following will happen to be Ghat for this individual:
Ghat Tithi - Nanda Tithi is Ghat which means Pratipada, Sashti, Ekadashi Tithis operating both in Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha can be troublesome
Ghat Vara - Friday is Ghat and problems can take place during this day.
Ghat Nakshatra - Revathi Nakshatra is Ghat and hence could cause some issues
Ghat Yoga - Vyatipata Yoga is Ghat inferring some troubles during this Yoga formation
Ghat Karana - Garaja Karana is Ghat indicating some danger during this time
Ghat Lagna Same Sex - Vrischika Lagna happens to be Ghat which means problems can arise from another female born in Vrischika Lagna or during the time zone in which Vrishcika Lagna is rising
Ghat Lagna Opposite Sex - Rishaba Lagna happens to be Ghat which means problems can arise from a male born in Rishaba Lagna or during the time zone in which Rishaba Lagna is rising    
Ghat Chandra Male - Dhanus Rasi is Ghat which means these natives can face problems from males born in Dhanus Rasi or during the time frame in which Dhanus Rasi is in operation
Ghat Chandra Female - Rishabha Rasi is Ghat which means these natives can face problems from females born in Rishabha Rasi or during the time frame in which Rishabha Rasi is in operation
Ghat Lunar Month - Ashwija Maasa is Ghat which can be deduced that these natives could face troubles when Ashwija Lunar month is in operation

Case 2 : Male Native born in Dhanus Rasi
Now we shall take another example of a male native born in Dhanus or Sagittarius Rasi. We shall see the contacts this individual needs to avoid in order to escape from being inflicted from any kind of harm. This can also be used as a measure for marriage match check or alliance of a partnership.
Ghat Tithi - Jaya Tithi is Ghat. So this native should try to avoid contact with those born in Tritiya, Ashtami or Triyodashi Tithi's in both the waxing and waning moon phase.
Ghat Vara - Friday is Ghat. So native should reduce contact with those born on Fridays
Ghat Nakshatra - Bharani is Ghat. Thus native should refrain from any sort of partnership with another person born in Bharani Nakshatra
Ghat Yoga - Vajra is Ghat. Hence native should try not to maintain ties with Vajra Yoga born natives
Ghat Karana - Taitula is Karana. So the native should avoid being close to natives born in Taitula Karana
Ghat Lagna Same Sex - Dhanus is Ghat. It's good to evade contact with any male born in Dhanus Lagna
Ghat Lagna Opposite Sex - Mithuna is Ghat. It's good to evade contact with any female born in Mithuna Lagna
Ghat Chandra Male - Kanya is Ghat. So better to refrain relationships with any male born in Kanya Rasi.
Ghat Chandra Female - Meena is Ghat. So better to refrain relationships with any female born in Meena Rasi.
Ghat Lunar Month - Shravan is Ghat. Hence it is better to put off any important activities during Shravan month which runs approximately between July-August.

Conclusion:
This is about the notion behind the Ghat Chakra. As so many different components cause troubles of various sorts based on the Janma Rasi, it becomes little hard to keep a tab of them all. Studying the Panchanga can help in knowing the different elements that are in play during a period of time and this information can be useful to avoid important matters especially during the Ghat time framework.

Navatara Chakra Usage in Vedic Astrology!

The Navatara Chakra forms an important predictive part within the ambit of Vedic Astrology. The word 'Navatara' can be split as 'Nava' meaning Nine and 'Tara' denoting star. In a nutshell, it can be said to be the bifurcation of the 27 Nakshatras into 3 equal parts of 9 stars each. The categorization of the 3 parts are grouped as under:
Janma - First 9 stars beginning from Janma Nakshatra (1 to 9)
Anujanma - Next 9 stars beginning from the 10th Tara from Janma Nakshatra (10 to 18)
Trijanma - Final 9 stars beginning from the 19th Tara from Janma Nakshatra (19 to 27)

The foundation of the whole Navatara Chakra scheme is originated on the basis of the Nakshatra in which Moon is placed in one's birth chart. That particular Nakshatra is termed as the 'Janma Nakshatra'. For instance if one's Moon falls in the Nakshatra of Punarvasu, that happens to be the birth Nakshatra and the 9 stars from Punarvasu upto Swati falls under Janma Group, next 9 stars from Vishakha until Satabisha forms part of Anujanma Group and final 9 stars from Poorva Bhadrapada to Arudra gets classified under Trijanma Group. These groups also come under the tripod of body, mind and soul with the Janma group said to indicate Body Level, Anujanma Group the Mind Level and Trijanma Group Soul Level. Alternatively the Janma group is said to indicate the present, the Anujanma Group the future and the Trijanma Group the past.

The 9 stars in each group have a relevance of it's own having it's own meaning and also ruled by a particular planet viz each of the Navagrahas. Listing below list of the 9 Tara's and it's planet rulership.

1) Janma Tara : Ruled by Sun, Animal - Peacock

2) Sampat Tara : Ruled by Mercury, Animal - Horse

3) Vipat Tara : Ruled by Rahu, Animal - Goat

4) Kshema Tara : Ruled by Jupiter, Animal - Elephant

5) Pratyek Tara : Ruled by Ketu, Animal - Crow

6) Sadhak Tara : Ruled by Moon, Animal - Fox

7) Vadha Tara : Ruled by Saturn, Animal - Lion

8) Mitra Tara : Ruled by Venus, Animal - Eagle

9) Parama Mitra Tara : Ruled by Mars, Animal - Swan

In general, certain Taras are said to be favorable and some unfavorable whereas a couple are of middling variety. The 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th Taras are said to be auspicious whereas the 3rd, 5th and 7th Taras are considered inauspicious. The 1st and 9th Taras are said to be neutral. The order of sequence is the same whether followed from Janma, Anujanma or Trijanma Group. Let's look at the meaning of each of these 9 kind of Taras and what they all indicate.

Janma Tara:
This in essence is the birth Nakshatra and establishes one's individuality. The Nakshatra in which Moon is placed in the horoscope happens to be the most important of all Nakshatras. Each of the Nakshatras has an energy manifested within it and the individual is said to strongly connote the significations of these resources based on the moon star one has attained birth. The Janma Tara however is not always favorable and said to denote fickleness of the mind and cause tensions. The mind always tends to be unsteady during days of Janma Nakshatras and it can be related to the prevailing environment when a child is about to take birth which is associated with a lot of difficulty and stress. The default ruler of Janma Tara happens to be Sun.

Sampat Tara:
This denotes all things related with wealth. It is a very favorable Tara and is said to be auspicious for all money related events. It can be loosely related to the 2nd and 11th house of a horoscope which speaks largely about income and profits. The ruler of Sampat Tara is Mercury.

Vipat Tara:
As the name suggests, this translates to all sorts of dangers. It can be with regard to getting hurt, embroiled into issues and all such kind. Vipat Tara is ruled by Rahu.

Kshema Tara:
The word 'Kshemam' as such endorses about being in good health and a comfortable state of mind. Hence this is about the well being of the individual concerned by possessing the requisite vitality and being in good spirits. Kshema Tara is ruled by Jupiter.

Pratyek Tara : (Also called Pratyahari Tara)
This is a negative Tara and denotes all sorts of obstacles. It is said to cause plenty of confusions onto the mind in addition to being a stumbling block with regard to completion of tasks and activities. The ruler of this Tara is Ketu.

Sadhak Tara : (Also called Sadhana Tara)
This talks about all achievements and benefits which one is entitled to. This Tara is also said to be the one in which God's blessings are said to arise. Hence worshiping and offering prayers with respect to the deities and articles denoted by the 6th Tara from Janma Nakshatra is essential to have the Almighty's support. This Tara is ruled by Moon.

Vadha Tara : (Also called Naidhana Tara)
This is an inauspicious Tara and is of a killing nature. It is strewn with negativity and denotes all sorts of denials, ill-luck and misfortune. The ruler of this Tara is Saturn.

Mitra Tara :
This is supposed to be one of the most auspicious Tara in the Navatara sequence, All prosperous things in life in general are associated with this Tara. This Tara is said to showcase the way and provide good clarity to the mind. The 2nd, 4th and 6th Tara confers specific success in related areas but the 8th Tara is said to be a combination of all the favorable instruments and hence following the energies related to the 8th Nakshatra from one's Janma Nakshatra can be extremely fruitful. Mitra Tara is ruled by Venus.

Parama Mitra Tara : (Also called Adi Mitra Tara)
This is said to be an average Tara. Though the meaning is translated as very friendly, it tends to take colors and can be good or bad according to situation. Too much of anything is not said to be beneficial and that is the reason for this Tara attaining a mild negative presence however if used in the right manner can also end up being very beneficial. It is more in line towards community living and social surroundings. Also one thing to note is that since we are dealing with sets of 9, when a particular Tara is favorable from one end, it happens to be unfavorable from the other end. For instance Sadhak Tara is favorable to Janma Nakshatra but the vice versa doesn't hold true as the Janma Tara will end up being 5th from the Sadhaka Tara. This does not happen for Parama Mitra Tara as from it's placement, the Janma Tara always happens to be the 2nd Tara and hence favorable. Parama Mitra Tara is ruled by Mars.

Important Information to Keep in Mind:
Apart from these Nava Taras, there are also certain other Taras from the Janma Nakshatras which have their own meanings and indications. Sometimes they tend to over rule the status of Navatara scheme and supersede them. A good example of the same is this concept of 'Vedha' Nakshatra not to be confused with 'Vadha' which is said to repel a particular Nakshatra and vice versa. In such a scenario, the Navatara sequence will get pushed to the back end. For eg. Magha and Revathi form Vedha with each other. For Revathi, Magha happens to be the 11th Nakshatra indicating Sampat Tara (1+1=2) but since they repel each other, the concept of it being Sampat Tara and conferring wealth will not work as they are enemies by nature. Also, the 17th Nakshatra from Janma Nakshatra indicates 'Chandrashtama' which is when Moon goes into the 8th rasi from itself and said to denote a troubled mind. Now the 17th star happens to be Mitra Tara and in such a case being Chandrashtama and being in 8th rasi, it may not be all that auspicious. Also for instance the 22nd Nakshatra from Janma Nakshatra denotes 'Vainasika' and indicates destruction. The 22nd when added up 2+2 becomes 4 which correlates to Kshema Tara but with regard to 22nd Tara, it is anything but related to good health and only has negative attributes. Hence it's important to factor these special Taras also into play before analyzing the results of the Navataras. In general, the following Taras from the Janma Nakshatra are said to be relatively auspicious as compared to the rest. These are the 2nd, 6th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 26th and 27th Taras beginning from the Janma Nakshatra.

Analysis of Navatara in Horoscope:
These Navataras can be used effectively in both Dasas and Transits. We shall look at some examples to understand the concept better.

Dasa Illustration:
Illustration 1:
Let's say a native is born with Rohini Nakshatra being the star of the Moon and currently Jupiter Dasa is running for the native which is placed in it's exaltation Nakshatra of Pushya. It may be believed that Jupiter will confer highly auspicious results as it's sitting in peak exaltation but it should not be forgotten that Pushya happens to the 5th Tara from Janma Nakshatra Rohini and will hence be Pratyek Tara which is said to indicate obstacles in work and causing confusions to the mind. It will compound further if the ruler of the star Pushya which is Saturn is placed in a negative house from Lagna and also in a bad axis like 6/8 from the ruler of Pratyek Tara which is Ketu. However there may be cases when the Bukthi Lords are in favorable Taras from the Janma Nakshatra and hence these specific periods can help ease the relief.

Illustration 2:
Let's say a native is born in Rishaba Lagna in the Janma Nakshatra of Vishaka and is presently running the Dasa of Mercury which is let's say placed in Shravana Nakshatra. Now Shravana happens to be Vadha Tara for Vishaka as it's 7th from it. We need to next see how the lord of Shravana Nakshatra that is Moon is placed with respect to the Lagna. Let's say this Moon is placed in the 6th house in sign of Libra which also happens to be in the 7th sign from Kalapurusha Lagna Mesha. We know 6th house denotes fights and issues whereas 7th house denotes partner or spouse. Thus it can be inferred by blending the two that there could be lots of fights and issues with respective partner. Also Vadha Tara ruler is Saturn and the Vada Tara in this case happens to be Moon (ruler of Shravana Nakshatra). If these two are also negatively placed from each other, say for instance Moon is in 6,8,12 from Saturn, the problems will only accentuate further. Hence best remedy is to appease the Tara in question which is Shravana and donate items related to it in order to reduce the maleficence.

Illustration 3:
Let's say a native is born in Janma Nakshatra of Poorva Bhadrapada and a Dasa of a planet is running now which is sitting in Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra. For Poorva Bhadrapada, Uttara Phalguni happens to be the 15th Nakshatra denoting Sadhak Tara (1+5=6). But there is a catch here as these two Nakshatras are vedha and hence repel each other. So in this case the Nava Tara auspiciousness of the 6th Tara Sadhak won't work and hence the way forward is to avoid all the energies pertaining to Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra and donating 'Puliyogara' rice which is a prasad symbolising Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra.

Transit Illustration:
With regards to transits especially, the lords of the respective Navataras play a crucial role. For instance let's say when Rahu is transiting a Nakshatra which is Vipat to Janma Tara or a Ketu is transiting a Nakshatra which is Pratyek to Janma Tara or a Saturn is transiting a Nakshatra which is Vadha to Janma Tara, lots of troubles can be said to be encountered by the native. Let's say for eg. birth Nakshatra is Hastha and say Rahu is over Swati (3rd Tara) it can cause dangers to native. It doesn't matter even if Swati Nakshatra as such is ruled by Rahu. Likewise let's say if Ketu is transiting over Anuradha or Uttara Bhadra or Pushya which is the 5th Tara from Hastha can cause phenomenal mind confusions. On similar vein Saturn over the 7th stars from Janma Nakshatra be it Janma, Anujanma or Trijanma viz Moola, Ashwini or Magha can cause great strife to the native.

Basic Rules and Clues for interpretation of Navatara:
- Check the Nakshatra where planet placed is operating it's Dasa or Transit.
- See which of the 9 Tara's the particular Nakshatra falls into when counted from Janma Nakshatra.
- If it happens to be 2,4,6,8 positive results can be expected, if in 3,5,7 negative results and if in 1,9 results will be neutral.
- Next check the lordship of the particular Nakshatra which sign it is placed with respect to both Lagna and also the default ruler of the Tara.
- If it is in houses 6,8,12, results can be inauspicious and may need additional measures. If in Kendra or Kona it can said to be auspicious and if in other houses can said to be average.

Explanation: Let's say a person is born in Gemini Ascendant with Moon being placed in the star of Swati. Let's say Mars which is placed in Anuradha in the horoscope is running it's Dasa currently. When counted from Swati, Anuradha happens to be the 3rd star and hence under Vipat Tara. Next we need to check the lord of the star of Anuradha which is Saturn and how it is placed with respect to Lagna and also Rahu which is ruler of Vipat Tara. If Saturn is let's say placed in 10th house of Pisces in Kendra, then from Lagna it doesn't become all that negative but however let's say Rahu is placed in Libra, then this Saturn gets associated in 6/8 axis with the rulership lord of Vipat Tara Rahu and hence problems can be accentuated. The major point of check is however to see which of the Tara's the particular Nakshatra falls into as that's how results get directed. Additional checking of the house position of the lord of the star with respect to the Ascendant and the owner of the particular Tara helps in providing additional respite.

Yearly Transit Horoscope Charts in Vedic Astrology

Everyone is seemingly interested to know what the upcoming year holds for them and in the astrological parlance there are methods to deduce how things are likely to pan out through the yearly charts. There are different variations of reading yearly charts and I am listing below snippets of the methodologies adopted and how to utilize them. In my humble opinion, Vedic Astrology is a very vast tool and just with one factor you cannot really come to a conclusion. Results should be witnessed from a unified wholesome picture and the more factors supporting with basis points, the higher are the chances of events fructifying.

I shall now list down 7 types of Yearly Transit charts and give a low down on what they are all about and how to use them.
- General Transit Chart
- Tajika Solar Return Chart
- Tithi Pravesh Lunar Return Chart
- Lal Kitab Varshapal Chart
- Bhrigu Chakra Paddathi Chart
- Sudharshan Chakra Dasha Chart
- Progression Chart

General Transit Chart
This is the general way of reading transit charts taking the fixed position of Moon as per your Natal horoscope and reading the other planets with reference to the natal Moon position. It's a good ploy to do the same with the Ascendant as well as most of the time Lagna & Moon go in sync with one another with the Ascendant representing the physical aura and the Moon projecting the mental mindset. The chart can be drawn up at the time of date of birth of every year concerned and the transit placements of planets need to be considered with respect to both Lagna and Moon. In case an impending planet transit is to take place few days from your birthday date, it is good to keep that in mind as well. Additionally it would also be good to check the position of the planet in transit with respect to the same planet as placed in the natal chart. For instance if Jupiter was in Aquarius at birth but at the time of charting yearly horoscope if it is in Sagittarius, it means it's placed 11 places from it's own natal position which could indicate conferring some sort of gains.

Illustration:
Let's say someone's birth Ascendant is Cancer and natal moon is in Virgo. For instance if it's the 24th year of an individual and we find that at time of drawing up of chart, Jupiter is placed in Scorpio. We know that Jupiter in transit is said to give best results in 2,5,7,9,11. Thus, we can infer that from a physical point of view Jupiter shows positive results but however from a mental framework Jupiter in 3rd is not said to be favorable and hence we can say that overall this transit of Jupiter will be of a middling level ie successful from view point of physical self but negative from an emotional point of view. Like this we can assess the scope of other transit planets also with respect to both Ascendant and Moon.

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope by fixing the Natal Ascendant and Moon as the base and reading the transits of planets based on this reference
Transit of Planets: Considered into account and effects needs to be read from both Natal Ascendant and Natal Moon
Chart Erection: The date of birth in every year
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the transiting planets with reference to both Natal Ascendant and Natal Moon

Tajika Solar Return Chart
This methodology as the name suggests adopts the Solar Return Chart but here we do not fix a Lagna or Moon and all the 9 planets in addition to the Ascendant are read as per what is projected in the map of heavens at the time when chart is cast. The chart is drawn up at the time of the solar return which effectively means the degree stamp in which Sun returns to its natal position which would most likely be on the date you were born or a day apart either side. Tajika has a few other specific factors to be kept in mind such as Lord of the Year which is key and generally considered to be the strongest among 5 factors mentioned below:

A) Lord of the sign occupied by the Sun or Moon:
If the Solar return chart commences at day time, then lord of the sign where sun is placed in Annual Horoscope is considered whereas if the solar return chart originates during night time, then lord of the sign where moon is placed in Annual Horoscope needs to be considered. For this purpose, Day time is reckoned from sunrise to sunset and Night time is accounted from sunset to next sunrise
Illustration:
Let's say Sunrise is at 6:05 AM and Sunset is at 6:09 PM. Sun's Natal degree is 12.20'. Let's say we are casting the chart for the 33rd solar year and the time when Sun touches it's Natal degree is at 4:45 PM, then lord of sign where Sun sits needs to be taken, if however it was 8:40 PM in the night when sun reaches it's natal position, then Lord of sign where Moon is sitting has to be considered.

B) Lord of the Ascendant in the Birth Horoscope:
This is plain and simple, you take your original Ascendant as seen in birth horoscope and consider the ruler of the sign for the lord of the year.
Illustration:
If one is born in Mithuna Lagna, then Mercury is to be considered and likewise if one were born when Aquarius was rising, then Saturn has to be taken into account since it rules Aquarius.

C) Lord of the Ascendant in the Progressed Horoscope:
This happens to be the lord of the sign where the Ascendant is stationed at the time the chart is drawn which is when the Sun reaches its exact natal degree position.
Illustration:
Lets say when Sun reaches it's Natal Degree in the Solar Return chart, the Ascendant at that point of time is Capricorn. Thus, Saturn being ruler of Capricorn is to be considered for Lord of the year

D) Lord of Muntha:
It is believed that for every completed year, the Ascendant moves a sign. Muntha is said to travel one sign in each year beginning from the natal position. We need to consider the Lord of the progressed Ascendant for the year in reckoning to determine the Lord of the year.
Illustration:
Lets say natal Lagna is Gemini and we are now drawing up chart for the 26th year. In this case the 1st year begins with Gemini and it completes a cycle in the 12th year with Lagna being in Taurus. The same channel operates for years 13-24. Lagna returns to Gemini for the 25th year and in the 26th year it will be in Cancer. Thus, the Muntha sign will be Cancer and the lord of Muntha will be Moon.

E) Lord of Thrirasis:
This depends on whether the solar return chart is erected during day time or night time. Based on that a fixed lordship is assigned to all signs and wherever the Ascendant of the Solar chart falls depending on whether it was during the day or night we need to look up to the Day time and Night time planetary rulers of the signs and select them accordingly.
Aries - Sun (Day), Jupiter (Night)
Taurus - Venus (Day), Moon (Night)
Gemini - Saturn (Day), Mercury (Night)
Cancer - Venus (Day), Mars (Night)
Leo - Jupiter (Day), Sun (Night)
Virgo - Moon (Day), Venus (Night)
Libra - Mercury (Day), Saturn (Night)
Scorpio - Mars (Day), Venus (Night)
Sagittarius - Saturn (Day), Saturn (Night)
Capricorn - Mars (Day), Mars (Night)
Aquarius - Jupiter (Day), Jupiter (Night)
Pisces - Moon (Day), Moon (Night)
Illustration:
let's say Sunrise is at 6:05 AM and Sunset is at 6:09 PM and the solar return chart is determined at 4:20 PM which falls in Day time in the Ascendant of Scorpio, then we need to consider Mars being the Day lord of Scorpio. Likewise let's say the solar return chart is cast at 9:15 PM which falls in Night time in the Ascendant of Leo, then we need to take Sun since it is the night lord of Leo.

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope based on solar return chart by giving importance to the Lord of the Year comprising of 5 key factors
Transit of Planets: Fully taken into consideration
Chart Erection: Yearly Solar Chart (When Sun returns to it's exact degree point in the zodiac sign)
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the transiting planets based mainly with respect to the Tajika  Lagna arising for the year and also subjecting a magnified zooming to the assessed Lord of the Year.

Tithi Pravesh Lunar Return Chart
The Tithi's are the one's that make up a lunar month and each of the months consists of 15 Tithis constituting the brighter half and another 15 Tithis representing the darker half. The Tithi one is born assumes paramount importance as it is formed based on the inter-relationship of the Sun (Father) and Moon (Mother) and hence can be an important reckoning to indicate the start of a new birth. Thus, the return of the Tithi in the respective luni-solar month is considered as the orientation of a new year. It can end up being a few days away or after your actual Birthday date as a lunar year tends to be shorter than a solar year. The Tithi Pravesh Chart is constructed at the exact time containing the remaining tithi percentage of your birth in the respective luni solar month. As it's like a new arising, reading a chart based on the remaining tithi percentage can give a basis of how the year is likely to pan out.

Illustration:
Let's say if someone was born in Shukla Paksha Tritiya Tithi with 40% remaining in the lunar month of Pushya when Sun was stationed in the sign of Capricorn. Now lets say for 32nd year if we are computing Tithi Pravesh chart, we need to cast the chart when Sun returns to the sign of Capricorn and the respective Shukla Paksha Trithiya Tithi is operating and having 40% remaining percentage. The Lunar month could continue to be Pushya or even move to Magha on account of ensuring Sun ends up being in the same rasi as that of birth.

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope based on Lunar return chart considering the remaining birth tithi percentage
Transit of Planets: Fully taken into consideration
Chart Erection: Luni-Solar Chart (When Sun and Moon re-unite to form the exact Tithi percentage remaining as witnessed at birth in the respective solar month in which Sun is transiting)
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the transiting planets based mainly with respect to the Tithi Pravesh Lagna occuring for the year.

Lal Kitab Varshapal Chart
This is employed based on the principles of Lal Kitab Astrology. In this chart we do not consider the positions of any planets witnessed presently as per the transits but instead deploy alterations to the positions of the planets as per the natal chart making planets change houses. Lal Kitab does not give importance to signs and the first house is always reckoned from Aries. For instance if at birth you are having Sun, Mercury, Venus in the 8th house, in year 30 all these planets will move to 12th house, in the 10th house in 31st year, 6th house in 32nd year and so on and so forth. There is a 120 year table noting down the houses where the planets placed in your natal chart will move for that particular year in operation.

Illustration:
Let's say someone were born in Cancer Lagna with Jupiter in the first house, Moon & Mars in 3rd house, Sun/Mercury/Venus in 4th house, Rahu in 5th house, Saturn in 8th house and Ketu in 11th house. Now if we were to draw up Lal Kitab Varshapal chart for say 25th year, one needs to look at the placement of planets in the 25th year as seen below:

House No. of planets as per horoscope               1 2  3  4 5 6 7 8  9 10 11 12
House position of planets in 25th year                 1 6 10 3 2 8 7 4 11  5 12  9

Thus as per Lal Kitab Varshapal chart for 25th year, Jupiter will be in 1st house, Moon&Mars will be in 10th house, Sun/Mercury/Venus will be in 3rd house, Rahu in 2nd house, Saturn in 4th house and Ketu in 12th house. Please note chart ascendant will always be Aries and Rahu/Ketu need not be in 1/7 axis when drawing up the Varshapal chart.

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope based on shifted planetary position of houses as per 120 year Varshapal Table reckoned from each running year
Transit of Planets: Not taken into consideration
Chart Erection: The date of birth in every year
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the shifted house positions of planets from natal chart

Bhrigu Chakra Paddathi Chart
This method does not employ transit positions and the key to this measure is rotating the Ascendant each year in a house in cycles of 12. The 1st house rules the first year of one's life, 2nd house rules the second year, 3rd house rules the third year and so on and so forth with the 12th house ruling one's twelfth year. Now, this cycle is continued with the 1st house ruling the 13th year, 2nd year lording the 14th year etc. Please note the positions of the planets are static and don't change at all. It's just that with each year passing by, that particular house gets activated and we can expect results with respect to the particular year and house in question.

Illustration:
Let's say someone has just turned 28 and is entering into his 29th year. Now since we are taking cycles of 12, we see that quotient is 2 (12 times 2 is 24) and reminder is 5 (29-24). Hence we can say that the 5th house is getting activated and we must see results based on which planets are sitting in that house, the aspects it receives and the position of the owner of the 5th house. In case we are looking into the horoscope of a Simha Lagna native, then Dhanus being the 5th house gains prominence and we need to look at the planets placed in Sagittarius as well as the aspects received and also importantly analyse the role of Jupiter being the house lord of Sagittarius.

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope based on planets placement in natal chart by shifting the Ascendant one house for each year
Transit of Planets: Not taken into consideration
Chart Erection: The date of birth in every year
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the activated house by considering the placement of planets, aspects received and the role played by the lord of the activated house

Sudarshana Chakra Dasa Chart
It is a technique where a yearly chart is studied from 3 different base points namely the position of  Ascendant, Moon and Sun which is said to denote the body at physical level, mind at mental level and soul at spiritual level respectively. In this system each of the 12 houses beginning from the 1st house is allotted a period of one year and chart for a forthcoming year is read by shifting all of the Ascendant, Moon & Sun individually to the year in question and reading the effect of the transiting planets based on the horoscope erected which adopts the solar return chart.

Illustration:
Let's say someone's birth horoscope has the Ascendant in the sign of Aries, Moon in Virgo and Sun in Pisces. If we want to read about the upcoming events in the 16th year, we need to consider the number 4 since we are dealing with a cycle of 12 and 16 divided by 12 will give quotient of 1 and reminder 4. Now we need to shift each of Ascendant, Moon and Sun 4 signs from their respective zodiac positions and read the solar return chart based on all these 3 reference points indicating the body, mind and soul. Thus in this case the 3 reference points will be Physical/Body Level Ascendant Cancer (4th from Aries), Mental/Mind Level Moon Sagittarius (4th from Virgo) and Spiritual/Soul Level Sun Gemini (4th from Pisces)

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope based on solar return chart considering 3 reference points - Ascendant, Moon & Sun by progressing them at the rate of one sign per year
Transit of Planets: Considered into picture and effects needs to be read from all 3 basis points
Chart Erection: Solar Return Chart in each year
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the transiting planets with respect to the progressed Ascendant (body), Moon (mind) & Sun (soul).

Progression Chart
This is a hypo illusionary chart utilizing the planets taking a year or more to transit such as Jupiter, Rahu/Ketu and Saturn. These are the planets whose transits we anticipate with an extra dose of excitement as there is plenty of expectations on the kind of results which they are going to bestow for those born in each Lagna or Rasi. Based on the year in question, we extrapolate how many signs these forces would have traversed based on their average transit motion which is considered as 1 year for Jupiter, 1 and half years for Rahu/Ketu and 2 and half years for Saturn. Most likely, these planets may match up with the same positions as seen in the running transit chart.

Illustration:
Let's say someone's natal Jupiter is in Cancer, Rahu in Libra, Ketu in Aries and Saturn in Capricorn. Now assuming we are drawing up chart for 22nd year, Jupiter will be Aries (Since one round of 12 gets completed in Gemini with the 13th year beginning in Cancer onwards and by counting one year for each sign the 22nd will be in Aries). Rahu will be in Leo (Rahu travels in reverse and hence one round of 18 years which is 1.5*12 gets completed in Scorpio. 18-19.5 years will be in Libra again, 19.5 to 21 years will be in Virgo and 21 to 22.5 will be in Leo). Since Rahu is in Leo, Ketu will automatically be in Aquarius being exact opposite. With respect to Saturn, it'll be in Virgo (Saturn travels 2.5 years in a sign and hence would have crossed 8 signs from natal placement at age of 20 which is 2.5*8 and will be in the 9th sign which is Virgo from 20-22.5 years of age).

Summary:
Methodology: Reading of yearly horoscope based upon utilizing those planets taking a year or more to transit across a sign
Transit of Planets: Not considered in reality but more as an extrapolation
Chart Erection: The date of birth in every year
Focus: Read the horoscope inferring the progressed position of yearly transit planets such as Jupiter, Rahu/Ketu & Saturn with respect to both Natal Ascendant and Natal Moon.

Tithi Shoonya or Daghda Rasi

'Tithi' constitutes an important element of the Panchang and is calculated based on the angular distance in which the moon moves away from the Sun and every 12 degrees of movement marks a Tithi. There are a total of 30 tithis (360 degrees of zodiac divided by 12). The Tithis are split up into 2 parts of 15 each based on the brighter half (Sukla - Waxing) and darker half (Krishna - Waning) of the moon.

Let's assume the Sun and Moon are both at 0 degree point which is effectively the New Moon when the Moon's light is completely cudgeled by the Sun making the moon appear very small. From here on in, the moon being the faster planet slowly starts glowing brighter and reaches its peak point when it moves 180 degrees from the sun which is effectively the Full Moon. This movement of the moon from 0 to 180 degrees away from the Sun is known as the waxing phase. The moon now slowly starts fading away its light as it again goes back to meet the Sun. The light of the Moon starts diminishing and is completely blanked out when it reaches 360 degrees or in essence when it meets the Sun again at the 0 degree point. This movement of the moon from 180 to 360 degrees (Or back to 0 degree) away from the Sun is known as the waning phase.

The concept of Tithi Shoonya or Daghda Rasi deals with certain rasis getting affected when an individual is born under a certain tithi. The rasis are devoid of light and said to be cursed or burnt and hence believed to be inauspicious for the native. Off the 15 tithis irrespective of whether it is under waxing or waning phase, 2 rasis in each tithi come within the ambit of shoonya rasis. For the 14th Rasi namely Chaturdashi Tithi, 4 of the rasis are said to be burnt and for Ammavasya/Purnima the burnt rasis are excluded from the list. You need to know the running 'tithi' at the time of your birth and check those rasis which are impacted. Sharing below the roster of shoonya rasis for those born in specific Tithis.

Observations:
1) All Rasis affected:
Not a single rasi is spared. All the rasi's come under the scanner of burnt rasis depending on the tithi one is born in right from Mesha to Meena. Simha, the natural 5th house of the Kala Purusha is the one which is most impacted being shoonya in 5 tithis followed by Dhanus the natural 9th house being the shoonya rasi in 4 tithis.

2) Rasi Ratio:
From the above list, you would figure that the Daghda Rasis for each Tithi are mostly in 4-10 axis from each other. For instance those born in Pratipada Tithi (Pratamai), Thula (7th sign) and Makara (10th sign) happen to be the shoonya rasis. From Thula, Makara happens to be the 4th rasi and from Makara, Thula happens to be the 10th rasi. This is in similar lines for most of the Tithis except Tritiya & Saptami which follow a 6-8 axis and Shasti which follows a 5-9 axis with the 1st and 5th signs of the kalapurusha being in daghda. For Chaturdashi Tithi alone, all the dual signs (3-6-9-12) get affected and it is blank for Amma Vasya and Purnima.

3) Similar patterns of Tithi Shoonya / Rasi combination:
Also you will figure out that different combinations of tithis have similar burnt rasis
1st and 12th Tithi - Thula & Makara
2nd, 11th and 14th Tithi - Dhanus & Meena
5th, 8th and 14th Tithi - Mithuna & Kanya
9th and 10th Tithi - Simha & Vrischika

Notes of Information:
1) Out of  the 15 Tithis in the waxing and waning half, 14 Tithi's are supposed to cause shoonya in at least 2 of the rasis. The only exception being the last Tithis of brighter and darker half viz Pournima and Amma Vasya. There is however one view that even these two Tithis have shoonya rasis in Cancer (Karka) and Sagittarius (Dhanus). However this view isn't supported much and just being documented for information purpose.
2) As we know a minimum of 2 Rasis get affected for those born in 14 out of the 15 tithis. There is however a view that the impact of Tithi Shoonya works largely on whether a person was born in Shukla Paksha or Krishna Paksha. If waxing born, the first rasi is said to be mainly Daghda and if birth in waning, then the second rasi is said to be primary Daghda based upon the order of Kalapurusha. For eg. if someone were born in Shukla Paksha in Dasami Tithi, then Simha and it's ruler Sun is the main cause of shoonya whereas if birth was in Krishna Paksha then Vrischika and its ruler Mars is the main planet responsible for shoonya. For Chaturdashi Tithi native born in bright half, Mithuna & Kanya are shoonya rasis and Mercury is the shoonya lord whereas darker half born implies Dhanus & Meena are shoonya rasis and Jupiter becomes the shoonya Lord.

Analysis:
General Rasi Results:

It is generally preferred if the Daghda Rasis end up falling in the 6th, 8th or 12th houses from Ascendant since these houses in general are said to confer negative results. If the Daghda rasis fall in these places it is said to be better than opposed to the kendra or kona houses where you expect beneficial results. Also it is preferable if the Lord of the Shoonya Rasis ends up becoming weak such as being debilitated or in an ill placed sign.

General Planetary Results:
Natural malefics are best suited to be in Daghda rasis whereas natural benefics aren't supposed to be well represented in these burnt rasis. However few fundamental rules should be kept in mind before conferring which planets are good or bad in these shoonya rasis. A tithi is formed based on the interplay between Sun & Moon and rightfully they are termed as luminaries being the sources of light. We must not forget that Shoonya Rasis are those which are devoid of light and basically a dark spot in a chart. A few basic details to keep in mind is that Planets strong in the day include Sun, Venus and Jupiter whereas planets strong in the night include Moon, Mars and Saturn. Mercury is said to be adaptable both in day and night. Likewise Sattvik planets are Sun, Moon and Jupiter, Rajasic planets are Venus & Mercury and Tamasic planets are Mars, Saturn, Rahu & Ketu. With these concepts in the back of the mind let us go delineating about the deliverance of the planets in these shoonya rasis.

1) Sun : Though a natural malefic, it is a luminary known to emit light and said to be Sattvik by nature. Being one of the proponents causing a Tithi, it's said to very unfavorable when placed in a daghda rasi.

2) Moon : Moon is considered both as a natural benefic as well as a natural malefic based on it's waxing or waning state. Moon is the partner to Sun in formation of Tithi and is also a Sattvik graha known to be feminine by nature. Though it is said to be a planet strong in the night, it is also a luminary and hence is very uncomfortable in a shoonya rasi. However it is better off if a natural malefic moon is placed in a shoonya rasi as opposed to a natural benefic moon.

3) Mars : It is a natural malefic, a planet strong in the night and said to be Tamasic by nature. Mars being a natural aggressor when placed in rasis devoid of light end up being well placed.

4) Mercury : Similar to Moon it can be both a natural benefic or malefic based on it's association. It is a planet known for mental processing & intellect and when placed in a shoonya rasi it isn't supposed to be of much benefit. However a natural malefic Mercury is far better than a natural benefic Mercury when placed in a shoonya rasi.

5) Jupiter : It is a natural benefic which is said to be sattvik and strong in the day. Jupiter is known for imparting wisdom and when placed in Daghda rasis isn't expected to shower good results.

6) Venus : It is a full natural benefic like Jupiter and also said to be a day time strong planet. It is known for all propitious offerings in general. Its signification's tend to get affected when placed in burnt rasis.

7) Saturn : It is a full fledged malefic planet, known to be strong in the night and also Tamasic by nature. It is karmic driven and well suited in Daghda rasis.

8) Rahu : It is a natural malefic and Tamasic. It is supposed to be desire oriented known to grow things exponentially and said to be very well placed in the dark rasis.

9) Ketu : It is also a natural malefic and Tamasic. It is also a node like Rahu but said to be little detached and separatist by nature. This enables it to be powerful in these lack of light rasis.

Key Note: The above results are based on normal motion for the 7 main planets and reverse motion for the nodes Rahu and Ketu. If there is a role reversal with regard to the 5 planets - Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn where they happen to be retro grade, the results can go topsy turvy. For instance Jupiter retrograde acts against its usual nature and said to perform admirably in Daghda rasis. Sun and Moon are always in forward motion and the interpretations don't change with respect to them.

Functional Results of Rasis and Planets:
For any ascendant, it's the 3rd, 6th and 11th lords that are supposed to be most malefic and if they sit in Daghda rasis it will be better off. Eg for Thula Lagna, Jupiter happens to be highly malefic as he owns 3rd and 6th house and if it happens to be placed in a Shoonya Rasi, it can actually be a boon. In some ascendants, planets own both good and bad houses. In such a case, results need to be tweaked considering various factors in to account. For instance Virgo Lagna - Saturn owns both benefic 5th and malefic 6th house. However on account of being a natural malefic it's presence in Daghda rasi will still be helpful but whereas if it is a naturally benefic planet owning good and bad houses, results can be otherwise.

Conclusion:
This is a broad overview on Tithi Shoonya or Daghda Rasis. Results need to be factored judiciously and interpretation has to be arrived carefully after considering the nature of different rasis and planets. It is always a good pointer to check this concept additionally when viewing a horoscope as it gives important clues with regard to performance of specific houses.

Divisional Charts Ayanamsa Distance Factor - A Mathematical Mishmash!

The earlier article on Divisional Charts emphasizes on the fact that the role of time actually does not have such a big bearing when casting of varga charts as there is a sufficient time frame to play around with respect to planets actually changing signs within the zodiac. The biggest deterrent however with respect to Divisional Varga charts easily happens to be with respect to the Ayanamsa.

Ayanamsa is defined as the angular distance between vedic first point and vernal equinox. The sidereal ecliptic of a celestial body is less than the tropical ecliptic longitude. But there was a point in time when the sidereal zodiac and tropical zodiac coincided which is taken as the starting point. Different years are taken in contention viz Lahiri (285 AD), Krishnamurthy (291 AD), Raman (397 AD), Yuktheshwar (499 AD), Vakya Siddhantha (522 AD) etc. All of these happen to be roughly around 20 to 24 degrees away from the tropical zodiac. The sidereal zodiac value or the ayanamsa is deduced by deducting the relevant respective degrees from the tropical zodiac value to arrive at the ayanamsa.

In Vedic Astrology, the most popular ayanamsa in vogue happens to be the Lahiri Chitra Paksha Ayanamsa. KP astrology practitioners use an ayanamsa which is slightly off from Lahiri. Another ayanamsa endorsed by noted astrologer BV Raman happens to be the Raman Ayanamsa which is based on a computation by the great mathematician of yesteryear Bhaskara. In recent times, a new Ayanamsa has been supported by the inventor of the astrology software Jagannatha Hora based on Nakshatra Pushya being the Yoga Tara which is anchoring the zodiac and is termed as the Pushya Paksha Ayanamsa. This apart there are plenty of other Ayanamsas almost touching a half century in number.

Degree and Time Difference between Ayanamsas:
We will look at a comparison between the 4 ayanamsas listed above and see how much away they are from one another. The table listed below would tell how much is the difference in Degree Arc (Degrees-Minutes-Seconds) as well as difference in minutes duration between all these Ayanamsas.

For knowledge purposes, in order to know how these values are derived, I shall narrate it through a small illustration between Lahiri Chitra Paksha and Raman Ayanamsa.
Go to JHora astrology software and input date as Jan 1st 2019, time as 6:00 AM and place as Chennai. Select Lahiri as well as Raman Ayanamsa and note down the degrees of Lagna. Alternatively you can also scroll downwards on the natal chart details and witness a number value in Degrees-Minutes-Seconds known as Ayanamsa. The values obtained are as witnessed:

Lahiri Chitra Paksha:
Lagna : 8° 4' 51
Ayanamsa : 24° 6' 23

Raman:
Lagna : 9° 30' 39
Ayanamsa : 22° 40' 35

Subtract the Lahiri Chitra Paksha Lagna from Raman Lagna or else reduce the Raman Ayanamsa value from Lahiri Chitra Paksha Ayanamsa value and in both cases you get 1° 25' 48. Same way one can compute difference in values between any two ayanamsas.

Impact in Divisional Charts:
Now, we will see the impact or rather distortions the ayanamsas create in the Divisional Varga charts.
Listed below is a table taking into account 5 types of horoscope charts viz Rasi (D1), Navamsa (D9), Dasamsa (D10), Shashtyamsa (D60) and Nadiamsa (D150). The degree arc span for each of these are given along with the time taken to traverse in duration of minutes. (Eg. 1 degree = 60 mins and hence a Navamsa part of 3° 20' will be 3*60+20 = 200). Also mentioned are the comparisons between various Ayanamsas by pointing out the time in minutes span of which they are off from each other and also the % of change of impact that would be seen in the respective divisional charts. For eg as reckoned above taking D9 as illustration, a Navamsa pada spans 200 minutes and the difference of minutes off between Lahiri and Raman is 86 minutes meaning there would be about 43% chance (86 divided by 200) of a planet shifting to the next sign as per Raman and about 57% chance (100%-43%) that they end up within the same sign.

Explanation and Observations:
1) Rasi Chart (D1):
Taking the Rasi chart into account with the assumption that a planet may have an equal likelihood of being located in any of the degrees between 0 to 30, we figure that there is very less difference between Lahiri and KP. In 99.7% of cases both will have the planets posited in the same sign. Only in case of a planet being in 29° 55' or more in a sign in Lahiri will it end up moving to a different sign as per KP system. However comparing Lahiri with Raman, we find that there is about a 5% chance of planets being in different signs. If a planet is in 28° 34' or more in a sign in Lahiri, then it will end up moving to the next sign in Raman. Anything lesser in degrees, they would be stationed in the same zodiac sign. On the whole however, we find that the Rasi chart isn't really sensitive to the impact of ayanamsa as it is observed that there is very minute chance of planets tumbling in to different zodiac signs.

2) Navamsa (D9) and Dasamsa (D10):
It however starts getting trickier when viewing important varga charts such as D9 and D10. Between Lahiri and KP, the difference is only 3% but when comparison is between Lahiri and Raman, there seems to be a probability of close to 50% chance that the planets would involve change of signs. For instance, any planet within the range of  6° 40' to 10° in Aries sign will fall in Gemini Navamsa. If the planet is 8° 34' or more in Aries as per Lahiri, then as per Raman it'll end up being beyond 10° and end up falling in Cancer Navamsa. Thus, there is not a lot to play with and plenty of chances arise that your planetary positions won't be the same when using different ayanamsas.

3) Shashtyamsa (D60) and Nadi Amsa (D150):
Things get far more murkier and out of hand when using intricate divisionals such as D60 or D150. Here by default, the planets will fall in different signs when you take Lahiri or KP and compare it with Raman or Pushya Paksha. The difference between Lahiri and Raman in D60 amounts to a whopping 287% meaning planets will end up being 3 signs away from one other. For instance say a planet is in 1st house or sign in Lahiri, the same planet will be in 4th house or sign in Raman. When taking the minute level Nadiamsa D150, it hits ground breaking level with the difference exceeding 700%. So, in essence a planet will be 7 signs from each other, for eg say if its in 3rd zodiac sign in Lahiri, it'll end up being straight opposite in 9th zodiac sign as per Raman Ayanamsa.

Conclusion:
Thus, it is clearly visible that the playing field gets constricted with too many restrictions when involving Ayanamsa and it becomes an extremely dicey proposition. This issue cannot be bridged or resolved unless there is a uniform ayanamsa. If not, only the Rasi D1 chart would be looked at majorly and only a surface level image of D9/D10 will be used and the employment of more minute charts will end up being virtually obsolete. Those who don't however believe in Ayanamsa and are content with whatever they have been using, it is brought to light that these plaguing issues will always be inevitable and different ayanamsas will surely end up in yielding different predictions especially when more finite divisional charts are being implemented.

Divisional Charts Time Clock Approach - A composite computational cockpit!

Divisional Charts are supremely important with respect to Vedic Astrology. From the term 'division', it could be deciphered that these are divisions of the main rasi chart to see specific areas of one's life or rather take a deep dive or zoom into a particular pigeonholed path in which one would want to vision the journey of life from a microscopic perspective. Divisional or Varga charts aren't looked at in much depth by most and one of the significant reasons for that is because it happens to be extremely time sensitive. There is however another issue as well relating to the Ayanamsa but let's leave that for now and consider it at a different space and time.

I will now focus mainly on the time theory with regard to Divisional Charts and at what frequency of intervals they tend to change signs. It shall not however be about the placement of the planets in the different zodiac signs where various rules are laid out and which need to be followed in arriving at the positions of all the planets. I am listing herewith a small snapshot of how long on an average the Ascendant and 9 planets take to transit from one sign to another in the rasi chart.

Ascendant : 2 hours (1/12 of a day)
Moon : 2 and half days (roughly 1/12 of a month and can span between 54 to 60 hours)
Sun : 1 month (Avg 30 days)
Mercury : 1 month (Can be between 14 to 30 days)
Venus : 1 month (Can range between 23 days to almost 2 months)
Mars : 1 and half months (There are however rare occasions where it stays put for 6 months in a sign)
Jupiter : 12 months (1 year)
Rahu : 18 months (1.5 years)
Ketu : 18 months (1.5 years)
Saturn : 30 months (2.5 years)

Now coming to the zodiac, it is an area of the sky that extends approximately 9 degrees north or south of the ecliptic. The zodiac is shaped like a spherical belt spanning 360 degrees divided into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees each which are named as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

Thus the 30 degrees constitutes one zodiac sign or bhava or house of your horoscope rasi chart. Each of these signs are further compartmentalized into different fragments to get various divisional charts. There are some mathematical numbers which would be good to understand at this point of time.

Total Zodiac = 360 degrees or 21,600 minutes of arc (1 degree = 60 minutes)
Each Sign = 30 degrees (360 degrees/12 signs) or 1800 minutes of arc (30 degrees*60 minutes)

From the above, it is witnessed that it takes roughly 2 hours for the ascendant to move from one sign to another. The 2 hours is not fixed and can range between 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours depending on the zodiac sign in question. For instance in a long ascension sign like Cancer it takes more than 2 hours but for a short ascending sign like Capricorn it mostly takes much less than 2 hours. However more or less the average time taken to transgress a sign is knocking around the ballpark figure of 2 hours or 120 minutes. In other words, we say that it takes 120 minutes to cross 30 degrees for the ascendant to transit from one sign to another. Simply to outline and have it nailed in the head, refer the below:
Time taken by Ascendant to transit a zodiac sign : 120 mins = 30 degrees = 4 minutes per degree

Once we know this theory, it is about re-engineering of the rasi chart to fit into different pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and analyse part by part the various sub divisional varga charts. Listed below is the various list of Divisional Charts and the range of degrees as well as the time taken by the Ascendant to transit a sign in every one of these sub charts.

Expounding this mathematical computation to the fastest moving planet Moon which is approximately 30 times slower in transiting than the Ascendant sign (Ascendant sign avg 2 hours, Moon sign roughly takes 2 and half days or 60 hours), we find that the the D9 Navamsa of Moon changes every 400 minutes or 6 hours 40 minutes. Looking at a more subtler chart such as the D60 Shashtyamsa, the Moon seems to change every 60 minutes or 1 hour. Going even more intricately to the D150 Nadiamsa chart, it changes only once every 24 minutes.

We shall now stretch to the other end of the horizon and apply the same tactics to the slowest moving planet Saturn and see how much time it takes to transit signs in the Divisional charts. Saturn takes 2 and a half years to cross a sign which makes it 30 months to cross 30 degrees. Taking D9 Navamsa chart when we divide 30 months into 9, it ends up staying for about 3 months 10 days in a Navamsa sign. Going to D60 Shashtyamsa which is 1/2 of a degree, it'll be constant for 15 days (Since 1 degree = 1 month, half a degree = half a month). Applying it at D150 Nadiamsa level, it will be stationed for 6 days since Nadiamsa makes up 5 parts of a degree or 150 parts of 30 degrees.

It is thus easy to figure out that we are dealing with extensive sub components of time. The divisional charts are indeed sensitive to time but the take away is that it is well and truly a level playing field. Even when we dig deep down to the most intricate level of Nadi Amsa, it is clearly seen that at least the Moon sign changes only within a third of an hour. And let's not forget, Moon is also considered an important reference point when charting out horoscopes. Thus it is seen with concrete evidence that impact of time isn't so sensitive after all considering we have a reasonable ground frame of time to play with since most of the planets don't change at a rapid duration as generally envisaged. Hence if one does possess profound knowledge and wisdom in analysing the divisional varga charts, various facets and attributes can be unearthed and brought to light.

Match Making - South Indian Format (Jadhaga Porutham)

With regard to matching horoscopes for marriage purposes, moon plays the most pivotal role. There are many different types of matching methods which go under the scanner and the surprising part is that in traditional format of matching, it's the planet Moon and its Rasi which is of supreme importance. All you need to know are basically the Nakshatra (Star constellation) and it's Rasi (zodiac sign). There are 27 Nakshatra's beginning from Ashwini (1) and ending with Revathi (27) and there are 12 Rasi's starting from Aries (Mesha) and finishing with Pisces (Meena).

Mentioned below are the prominent test criteria's for match making. Most astrologers just do this star/rasi match and for that you don't really need to go and examine horoscopes with an astrologer as you can do it yourself. However for advanced matching, definitely a recommended professional should be considered.

One more interesting thing to note is the basis of difference in the methodology of matching between North India and South India. In the North Indian scheme of things, 8 determinants (kootas) are taken into account and each of them are assigned weights ranging from 1 to 8. This will result in a total of 36 and if the overall score exceeds 18 or 50%, it can safely be assumed to be a decent match. In down South of India, usually no specific points are factored and they are generally matched on a scale of 10 to 12 factors with some criteria's given far more importance than the others. Though you find a few criteria's over lapping between the two systems, the computation is marginally different as in Ashta Koot Milan, each of the tests are assigned weights and hence you have different ranges whereas in Jadhaga Porutham that's not the case and most of the test results either point to a 'yes' or 'no'.

This particular post will highlight on the South Indian Jadhaga Porutham format of match making. The North Indian format has already been made as a separate post. Listed below are the 12 main porutham's (tests) considered to assess the compatibility between the bride and the groom. Out of these, the first 10 are the major ones and the last 2 are optionally considered.

1) Dina:
Indication : Good health and prosperity based on counting of Nakshatras
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
In this only the star constellations are taken into account and this technique tests the health and prosperity of the couple based on a counting criteria. The counting is always ascertained from the girl and the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th set of star from the girl is considered to be auspicious. For this purpose, the Nakshatras are divided into 3 sets of 9 stars each. In effect taking the 27 stars in totality, the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th (1+1=2), 13th (1+3=4), 15th (1+5=6), 17th (1+7=8), 18th (1+8=9), 20th (2+0=2), 22nd (2+2=4), 24th (2+4=6), 26th (2+6=8) and 27th (2+7=9) can be taken for matching purpose. There are some further exceptions outlined on top of this but the basic objective is the star of the boy needs to fall in the aforementioned star number counted from the girl. Under this proposition, there will be 15 stars out of 27 that will meet expectations.

- If grooms star counted from bride falls in 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th and 27th, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms star counted from bride falls in any other position, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

2) Gana:
Indication: Habits, behavior and temperament based on 3 Nakshatra groups
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This method is for determining the temperament between the individuals. Here stars are categorized into 3 sections namely God (Deva), Human (Manushya) and Demon (Rakshasa) and are matched accordingly. The girl's star should be of equal or higher level than the boy for compatibility. For eg. if girls star and boys star both fall under the same category then its considered to be auspicious. If Girls is of God and boys is either of Human or Devil, then also it's considered but the other way round is not considered as a favorable match as the female is expected to possess higher sattwik (pure) qualities than her male counterpart.

- If brides star and grooms star both fall in the same category of Deva, Manusha or Rakshasa gana, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides star falls in Deva Gana and grooms star falls in either of Manusha or Rakshasa gana, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If brides star falls in Manusha Gana and grooms falls in Rakshasa gana, then also it is good match (Mathimam)
- Any other case, it is not recommended (Athamam)

3) Mahendra:
Indication : Progeny in family based on Nakshatra counting
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is required to assess the possibility of offspring(s) in the family and also determining the longevity and bonding of the couple. This is always counted with basis from the girls star and if the boy’s birth star falls in the positions 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd and 25th from that of the girl’s birth star, it is considered to be a happy match. Going by this proposition, only 8 stars out of 27 happen to meet this test criteria.

- If grooms star counted from bride falls in 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd and 25th, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms star counted from bride falls in any other position, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

4) Stree Deergam:
Indication : Wealth and Prosperity from Nakshatra counting
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This test tells about the well being, longevity and prosperity between the couple and it is determined by the distance of the boy's star from that of the girl. The larger the distance better is the match. Always take the females star as base and count the boys star from her respective star. If the boys star is more than 13 of the girl, then it is very favourable. But in today's times, anything beyond 7 stars is considered reasonable for matching purpose. For eg if girls star is Ashwini, boys star can be anything from Poosam to Revathi as only then it happens to be greater than the said equation of 7 stars.

- If grooms star counted from the brides exceeds 13, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms star counted from the brides exceeds 7, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If grooms star counted from bride falls 7 stars or below, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

5) Yoni:
Indication : Sexual inclination and physical compatibility based on animal grouping
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is the method that tests the sexual compatibility of the couple. The nakshatras are categorised into animal categories with each star representing either a male animal or female animal. The matching is done based on different animal traits.

- If bride star is female animal and groom star is male animal, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If bride star and groom star are both male animal or female animal, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If bride star and groom star fall in enemy animal category irrespective of male or female, then its not recommended (Athamam)

6) Rasi:
Indication: Family welfare and prosperity based on 12 zodiac signs relationship
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This is for ensuring a peaceful life between the couple. Both the girls as well as the boys Nakshatra's get tagged under a particular rasi based on the star rising at birth and the points are allotted accordingly based on the zodiac sign compatibility. For good match, the grooms rasi should either be the same or be more than 6 signs away from the bride (except the 8th rasi) ie 1st, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th rasi from brides rasi

- If grooms rasi is in 1st, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th from the brides rasi, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms rasi is in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 8th from brides rasi, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

7) Rasi Adipathy:
Indication : Mental compatibility, friendship and understanding based on 7 planet lord parameters
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This determines the mental compatibility between the partners and for this the ruler ship planet of the rasis in question is taken into account and compared. The basis of understanding is ascertained from the rasis in which the grooms and brides star fall into.

- If brides rasi and grooms rasi are friendly to each other, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If one of either brides or grooms rasi is friendly or neutral to the other, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If both are enemy to each other, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

8) Vasiya:
Indication : Mutual physical attraction and mental happiness based on rasi compatibility
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This is for estimating the level of mutual physical attraction between the couple. There are certain Rasi's which go along well with the other and if they are matching it is expected to be a good match, if not then the attraction factor is said to be not up to the mark.

- If grooms rasi falls in vasiya (attraction) to brides rasi, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms rasi does not fall in vasiya (attraction) to brides rasi, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

9) Rajju:
Indication : Strength of marriage lasting based on Nakshatra body parts
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is an important criterion to assess how strong the marriage will be and about the health and  livelihood of the couple in question. For this each Nakshatra is linked to a body element and it is recommended that stars denoting same body part should not be matched for marriage to be long lasting. Stars of feet (Ketu/Mercury) indicate instability, stars of hip (Venus/Saturn) denote poverty, stars of navel (Sun/Jupiter) indicate issues of offsprings, stars of neck (Moon/Rahu) indicates problems to bride and stars of head (Mars) indicates problems to groom. For eg Moolam and Kettai should not be matched as they both represent the 'feet' body part.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall in the same rajju (body part), then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides and grooms nakshatra fall in the same rajju (body part), then it is not a good match (Athamam)

10) Vedha:
Indication : Hardship in marriage based on Nakshatra constellation
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is a factor to assess failure, hardship and incompatibility in marriage. For this purpose there are certain stars which are repellant to the other. They are supposed to be enemies and it's advised to avoid stars that are forming vedhai (enemity) to each other. For eg. Ashwini star should not be matched with Kettai and likewise Rohini should never be matched with Swati.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall in the same vedha (enmity), then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides and grooms nakshatra fall in the same vedha (enmity), then it is not a good match (Athamam)

11) Nadi:
Indication: Genetic compatibility and heredity based on 3 kinds of Nakshatra groups
Nakshatra: Essential
Rasi: Not necessary
This method computes the genetic compatibility based on the Nakshatra prevalent. The Nakshatra constellations are divided into 3 types of Nadi symbolizing 3 basic qualities of heart beat to test the genetic compatibility. It is advised that the star of the groom and bride should not fall under the same Nadi and this is somewhat similar to Rajju based match. This is however just an optional test of matching in the South Indian scheme and not given as much importance as how its viewed in the North Indian means of matching. For eg Hastham and Sadayam should not be matched as they both fall in Left Nadi, likewise Pooram and Pooradam also isn't a good match because they are in Middle Nadi and similarly Magam and Swati also shouldn't be matched as they both are in Right Nadi.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall in the same nadi (heartbeat), then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides and grooms nakshatra fall in the same nadi (heartbeat), then it is not a good match (Athamam)

12) Mara:
Indication: Conceiving ability to bear offspring based on grouping of  Nakshatras into 2 tree types
Nakshatra: Essential
Rasi: Not necessary
This method mainly tests on the ability to conceive and give birth to children. For this purpose, Nakshatras are classified into 2 tree types viz Milky trees and Dry Trees. It is highly ideal if both the girls star as well as boys star come under the ambit of milky trees. It is even beneficial if either one of their stars get assigned to a milky tree.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra both fall in the milky tree group, then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If either of brides and grooms nakshatra fall in milky tree group, then it is a good match (Mathimam)
- If both brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall under the milky tree group and are in dry tree group, then it is not a good match (Athamam).