Talk to an astrologer about kundli matching for marriage
Kundli matching is the comparison of two birth charts before a wedding, and the score is only one part of what an astrologer reads.
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Our families want a kundli match before they meet. The app shows 22 out of 36. Is that enough, or should someone read it properly?
Send me both birth dates, times and places. I first look at each chart alone, mainly the 7th and 8th houses, then I go through the eight kootas one by one and see which ones scored zero.
Short answer
Kundli matching, also called kundli milan or guna milan, compares the birth charts of two people before marriage. North Indian practice scores eight kootas out of 36 gunas, while South India checks up to 10 poruthams. Many astrologers first read each chart's 7th and 8th houses, then the score. On Kismo, verified Vedic astrologers match both kundlis by chat or call, online from anywhere.
What are the key facts about kundli matching?
| Answer | |
|---|---|
| What it is | A comparison of two birth charts before marriage, built on the two Moons' stars 5 |
| Other names | Kundli milan, guna milan, ashtakoot, porutham, jathaka porutham, pontana, yotak bichar, patrika julvane |
| North Indian method | Eight kootas worth 1 to 8 points each, 36 in all 1 |
| South Indian method | Ten poruthams, with rajju and vedha among them, and no 36-point total 6 |
| What an astrologer checks first | Each person's chart on its own: longevity, then the 7th and 8th houses 4 |
| What to bring | Date, exact time and place of birth for both people |
| Session on Kismo | From ₹15 a minute, 5 free minutes in your first session, online from anywhere in India and abroad |
What does an astrologer check in a kundli match?
- Each chart on its own. B. V. Raman's Muhurtha lists longevity, then the strength of the 7th and 8th houses, before any agreement score 4.
- The 7th house in both charts. Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra reads the 7th house, jaya bhava, for the spouse 9.
- The two birth stars and Moon signs. Prasna Marga opens its marriage chapter by saying agreement is judged from the birth stars 5.
- The koota or porutham score, item by item. A total of 36 hides which kootas scored zero, and nadi and bhakoot alone carry 15 points 1.
- Doshas and their exceptions. Muhurta Chintamani lists exceptions for nadi and bhakoot dosha, such as Moon signs owned by one planet 2.
- Mars in both charts. Raman notes that kuja dosha in both horoscopes cancels, and says many other factors matter more 4.
Which situation is yours?
- Tamil 10 Poruthams for Marriage: Ask an Astrologer
Tamil families judge ten poruthams as pass or fail, and rajju is often treated as one that cannot fail.
- Kerala Jathaka Porutham: Ask an Astrologer Online
Kerala practice follows Prasna Marga's star-based items and weighs Mars from the ascendant, Moon and Venus in both charts.
- Telugu Jathakam Matching: Ask an Astrologer Online
Telugu families often see a points total like the North and porutham checks like the South, and the Godavari runs through both states.
- Kannada Jataka Matching: Ask an Astrologer Online
Kannada matching leans on the South Indian kuta list that B. V. Raman, a Bengaluru astrologer, set out with its exceptions.
- Bengali Kundli Matching (Yotak): Ask an Astrologer
Bengali families ask whether the match is rajyotak, using the same eight kootas as North India under a Bengali name.
- Marathi Kundali Milan (Gun Milan): Ask an Astrologer
Marathi families compare the patrika for gun milan out of 36, and nadi dosha, ekanadi, is the question they raise most.
- Kundli Matching Without Birth Time: Astrologer
Without a birth time the Moon still gives most of the score, but houses and manglik from the ascendant drop out.
- Kundli Matching by Name: Ask an Astrologer Online
Matching by name swaps the birth star for a name star taken from the first syllable, which is a substitute, not the same chart.
- Kundli Matching for Love Marriage: Ask an Astrologer
In a love marriage the couple has chosen already, so the reading is about how to use the match with family, not whether to meet.
How many points does each koota carry in guna milan?
Guna milan gives each of eight kootas a fixed weight, from 1 point for varna to 8 for nadi, adding up to 36. Muhurta Chintamani lists them in this order in its marriage chapter, verse 21 1.
| Koota | Points | What astrologers read it for |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Temperament or spiritual grade, read from the Moon sign 4 |
| Vashya | 2 | How far each partner is amenable to the other 4 |
| Tara | 3 | The count from one birth star to the other 1 |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical and sexual compatibility, through animal symbols 4 |
| Graha maitri | 5 | Friendship of the two Moon sign lords, read as mental fit 4 |
| Gana | 6 | Deva, manushya or rakshasa nature of the birth star 5 |
| Bhakoot | 7 | The distance between the two Moon signs 2 |
| Nadi | 8 | The three nadis, linked by Raman to vata, pitta and kapha 4 |
Nadi alone is 22% of the total, 8 of 36 points. A couple who lose both nadi and bhakoot can score at most 21, so a middling total may hide two doshas.
What is kundli matching called in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Marathi?
Kundli matching is called porutham in Tamil and Malayalam, pontana in Telugu, yotak in Bengali and patrika julvane in Marathi. The names differ, and so do the methods in some regions.
| Language | Name in script | Transliteration | What the word says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hindi | कुंडली मिलान / गुण मिलान | kundli milan / guna milan | Matching of charts, scored in gunas out of 36 1 |
| Tamil | கலியாணப் பொருத்தம் | kaliyana porutham | Ten agreements of the two birth stars, in the Tamil Lexicon 6 |
| Telugu | పొంతనము | pontanamu | A happy conjunction of stars, glossed as graha maitri and koota 11 |
| Bengali | যোটক / রাজযোটক | yotak / rajyotak | Agreement for marriage; rajyotak is the strongest form 10 |
| Marathi | पत्रिका | patrika | The birth paper that families compare before a wedding 12 |
| Malayalam | ജാതക പൊരുത്തം | jathaka porutham | Matched in Kerala by Prasna Marga's star-based items 5 |
The South Indian list adds checks the 36-point system lacks, such as rajju and vedha 46. Each regional system has its own page below.
Which classical texts lay down the rules for kundli matching?
Muhurta Chintamani, a 16th-century work on electional astrology, gives the eight kootas and their 36 points in chapter 6, verse 21 1. The verse says a higher total is better, and it names no minimum 1.
The familiar 18-point line is a later convention. Drik Panchang, a panchang publisher, sorts totals into bands and calls 0 to 16 inauspicious and 17 to 20 middling 3.
| Text or school | Items checked | Scoring | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhurta Chintamani 6.21, North India | 8 kootas | 1 to 8 points each, 36 in all | 1 |
| Prasna Marga ch. 21, Kerala | Up to 23 items, five called essential | No points | 5 |
| B. V. Raman, Muhurtha (1948), Bengaluru | 12 factors, with rajju, vedha and mahendra | Units for some, rules for others | 4 |
| Tamil almanac practice | 10 poruthams | Pass or fail per item | 6 |
The texts disagree on details. The Hindi commentary on Muhurta Chintamani says the side nadis' dosha is not applied south of the Godavari, and that some regions count four or five nadis instead of three 2.
Prasna Marga records quarrels among its own authorities. Sarvarthasiddhi weighs 20 items, Madhava 15, and stanza 69 settles on five: vasya, mahendra, yoni, the Moon sign and its lord 5.
How many Indian families still match kundlis before marriage?
Kundli matching is still the norm in many Hindu families. In a 2023 field study of 100 married people in Jammu, 89% said they believed in guna milan 7.
Every young respondent in that study had a horoscope made, while some older ones had none 7. The author cites an earlier estimate that only about 20% of parents went to an astrologer, and the rest used a plain 36-point check with 18 as the bar 7.
The match often comes before the couple know each other well. In the India Human Development Survey of 2004-05, 69% of married women met their husband on the wedding day or shortly before 8.
| State (IHDS 2004-05) | Women who knew their husband before marriage | Women married to a cousin or relative |
|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | 13% | 4% |
| Maharashtra and Goa | 17% | 26% |
| Tamil Nadu | 46% | 30% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 49% | 29% |
| Karnataka | 61% | 23% |
Astrologers in the Jammu study warned that some families hide real ages or give wrong birth details to get a match approved 7. A match is only as good as the birth details behind it.
What should we do if our kundlis do not match?
If your kundlis do not match, start by finding out exactly which part failed, because a low total and a single dosha are different problems. Many astrologers go through these steps before giving a view.
- Check both birth times. A wrong time can move the ascendant, and a date near a star change can move the birth star itself.
- List the kootas that scored zero. A low score from one or two items is read differently from a low score spread across all eight.
- Check the exceptions for nadi and bhakoot. Muhurta Chintamani removes bhakoot dosha when the two Moon signs share a lord or the lords are friends 2.
- Read both full charts. Raman puts the 7th and 8th houses and longevity ahead of the agreement score 4.
- Get a second opinion before paying for any ritual. A remedy is never a guarantee, and nobody should pressure you into one.
Detailed pages cover a low guna score, nadi dosha and bhakoot dosha.
What happens in a kundli matching consultation?
A kundli matching consultation usually moves from two separate charts to the score and then to questions. This is an example of how many astrologers structure it, not a real client's chat.
- The astrologer takes both sets of birth details and confirms how sure each family is of the time.
- The astrologer reads each chart alone, mainly the 7th house, its lord, Venus and the 8th house.
- The astrologer runs the regional method: eight kootas in the North, the poruthams in the South, or both.
- The astrologer names any dosha, checks whether an exception removes it, and checks Mars in both charts.
- The astrologer explains the result in plain words and answers questions from the couple or the parents.
What do people get wrong about this?
Belief: A kundli match below 18 points means the marriage cannot happen.
Muhurta Chintamani verse 21 gives the 36 points but no minimum 1. Astrologers in the Jammu study said many approved matches fail while matches that broke the rules do well 7.
Belief: A high guna score settles the question.
Raman calls it defective to judge by agreement items alone and asks for the 7th and 8th houses and longevity first 4. A score of 28 can still hide a nadi dosha, and any score can sit beside a manglik question.
Before you pay anyone
How do you know an astrologer is genuine?
- Every Kismo astrologer passes four steps: qualification review, panel interview, live audits of real sessions, 30-day probation.
- Nobody can guarantee an outcome. Treat any promise of a fixed result as a red flag.
- Never pay for an expensive puja or ritual under pressure. Get a second opinion first.
- On Kismo you only pay for the minutes you use; misconduct, pressure or a request for money outside the app is handled by a person.
Which astrologers can I talk to about kundli matching?
How does a consultation on Kismo work?
- Log in on kismo.app or get the app from Google Play.
- Pick an astrologer who speaks your language and works with your question.
- Share your date, time and place of birth.
- Ask by chat or call. The first session carries 5 free minutes, then each minute is billed from your wallet.
Questions worth asking in the session
- Which kootas or poruthams scored zero, and why?
- Is there a nadi, bhakoot or manglik question, and does an exception apply?
- What do the 7th and 8th houses show in each of our charts?
- How sure do you need our birth times to be?
- Would the result change under the Tamil, Kerala or North Indian method?
- Is there anything in our charts you would read before the score?
What should I know before booking a session about kundli matching?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does a session cost? | Each astrologer sets one rate for chat and call, from ₹15 a minute. A 10-minute session at ₹15 a minute costs ₹150 (October 2026). |
| Is the first session free? | 5 free minutes on the first session, no card. |
| Chat or call? | Both. You choose when you start the session. |
| Do I need an exact birth time? | It helps. Without one an astrologer can still read your Moon sign and planets by sign, or work out the time with you. |
| Is my chat private? | Your chat is not shown to other clients. How Kismo handles your data is set out in its privacy policy at kismo.app/privacy. |
| What if I am not happy? | There is no refund for a reading you did not like. Misconduct, pressure or a request for money outside Kismo is handled by a person. |
| Where does it work? | Online, from anywhere in India and abroad. People use Kismo from 80+ countries. |
What else do people ask an astrologer about?
How does Kismo compare with other apps?
Questions people ask
Our kundli matching score is 22 out of 36. Is that good enough?
A score of 22 out of 36 falls in the band a panchang publisher calls very good, and it clears the common 18-point line. The total still hides which kootas scored zero. If nadi or bhakoot is zero, ask whether an exception applies, and have both full charts read. Muhurta Chintamani itself names no minimum, only that more is better.
Is kundli matching really necessary before marriage?
Kundli matching is a family and personal choice, not a legal requirement for any marriage in India. Astrologers who use it read it as a guide to temperament and timing, never as a promise. Many couples marry without it. If your family wants it, a full reading of both charts usually tells you more than a score from an app.
Why did a Tamil astrologer and a North Indian app give us different matching results?
Different results are normal, because the two use different systems. North Indian apps score eight kootas out of 36, while Tamil astrologers judge about ten poruthams as pass or fail. Porutham adds rajju, vedha, mahendra and stree deergha, which guna milan never scores. Ask each astrologer which items failed, and compare those, not the headline result.
Is online kundli matching accurate, or do I need an astrologer?
Online kundli matching calculates the score accurately when the birth details are right, but it rarely reads the exceptions or the two full charts. An astrologer checks whether a dosha is cancelled, what the 7th and 8th houses show, and whether a birth time looks doubtful. Use the free calculator at /kundli-matching first, then ask about anything that scored zero.
Can we do kundli matching with only a date of birth or a name?
Yes, in part. A date alone usually fixes the Moon sign and often the birth star, which carry most of the guna score, while a name gives only a substitute star. Houses, the ascendant and manglik from the ascendant need a birth time. See the pages on matching without birth time and matching by name for what each can and cannot settle.
Does kundli matching matter in a love marriage?
Kundli matching in a love marriage is a choice, and many astrologers treat it as a reading, not a verdict. Prasna Marga, a classical Kerala text, says a couple who love each other may marry even without agreement in other items. Families often still want a match, and the love marriage page covers how to handle that conversation.
How much does it cost to get kundli matching done by a Kismo astrologer?
Kundli matching on Kismo costs the astrologer's per-minute rate, from ₹15 a minute, and your first session includes 5 free minutes with no card needed. You top up a wallet with at least ₹100 and pay only for the minutes you use. After the session, Kismo suggests up to three other astrologers if you want a second opinion.
An astrologer says our kundlis clash and we need an expensive puja. Is that a red flag?
Yes, pressure to pay for an expensive puja is a red flag. Many doshas have exceptions that are checked for free in the charts, and no ritual comes with a guarantee. Get a second opinion before paying for any ritual. On Kismo, misconduct such as pressure or asking for money outside the app is handled by a person.
Where can I get our kundlis matched by an astrologer online?
You can get your kundlis matched online on Kismo. Kismo is an app where you talk to verified Vedic astrologers by chat or call, in 16 languages. Astrologers there work with North Indian guna milan and South Indian porutham, and the app works from anywhere in India and abroad, with an average first reply of 9 seconds.
Talk to an astrologer about kundli matching
Kismo is an app where you talk to verified Vedic astrologers by chat or call, in 16 languages.
On an iPhone, log in on kismo.app in your browser.
Where do these facts come from?
- Muhurta Chintamani of Daivagya Shri Ramacharya with Hindi commentary by Pt. Mahidhara Sharma, ch. 6 (Vivaha Prakarana) v. 21, p. 81, Khemraj Shri Krishna Das Prakashan, Mumbai, via Internet Archive. Accessed .
- Muhurta Chintamani with Hindi commentary by Pt. Mahidhara Sharma, ch. 6 vv. 31 to 37, pp. 83-88 (bhakoot and nadi, with exceptions), Khemraj Shri Krishna Das Prakashan, Mumbai, via Internet Archive. Accessed .
- Kundali Matching (Ashta-Kuta) tutorial, Drik Panchang. Accessed .
- Muhurtha or Electional Astrology, chapter on marriage and kuja dosha, pp. 70-99 (B. V. Raman, 1948), Internet Archive (Digital Library of India). Accessed .
- Prasna Marga, Part 2, chapter 21: marriage compatibility, stanzas 1, 32, 54 to 55 and 63 to 69 (tr. B. V. Raman), Internet Archive. Accessed .
- Tamil Lexicon (University of Madras), entry கலியாணப்பொருத்தம், p. 784, Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. Accessed .
- Significance of Horoscope Matching in Marriages among the Hindu Dogras of Jammu District: A Sociological Analysis of Manglik Dosha (Abhinandan), The Eastern Anthropologist 76:3 (2023), Serials Publications. Accessed .
- Human Development in India: Challenges for a Society in Transition, chapter 10 and tables A.10.1b and A.10.2b (India Human Development Survey 2004-05), India Human Development Survey, University of Maryland and NCAER. Accessed .
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 11, verse 8: the 7th house, Enjoy Learning Sanskrit. Accessed .
- Samsad Bengali-English Dictionary (Biswas), entry যোটক, p. 897, Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. Accessed .
- A Telugu-English Dictionary (C. P. Brown), entry పొంతనము, p. 806, Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. Accessed .
- A Dictionary, Marathi and English (J. T. Molesworth), entry पत्रिका, p. 487, Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. Accessed .
