jyotisha and the sky
What is Kundali Milan and how are horoscopes matched for marriage?
What Kundali Milan is
Kundali means a birth chart, a map of the sky at the moment a person was born. Milan means meeting or matching. So Kundali Milan is the comparing of two charts, one for each person, to see how well they fit together for marriage. The most widely used method is called Ashtakoot Milan, which means matching across eight factors. Each factor carries a certain number of points, and together they add up to 36. A match that scores 18 or above is generally seen as acceptable. Higher scores are seen as more promising.
The eight factors
The eight factors look at different sides of life together. Varna relates to spiritual compatibility. Vashya looks at how much natural pull or influence the two people have on each other. Tara is about the stars at birth and their effect on health and wellbeing. Yoni covers temperament and physical compatibility. Graha Maitri checks the friendship between the two moon signs and speaks to mental harmony. Gana looks at nature and personality type. Bhakoot is about the relationship between the two moon signs and its effect on family life and prosperity. Nadi is the last factor and carries the most weight. It is linked to health and the wellbeing of future children. A Nadi dosha, meaning a mismatch on this point, is treated as the most serious concern of all.
What the score means
A score is not seen as a final verdict. It is a guide. Different families and different astrologers read the same score differently. Some treat a Nadi dosha as a serious obstacle. Others say certain planetary positions elsewhere in the chart can balance it. Regional practice varies a great deal across India and in diaspora communities. In some traditions, other checks are also done alongside Ashtakoot, such as looking at whether either chart carries a Mangal dosha, a condition linked to the planet Mars.
How families use it today
Many Hindu families still consult an astrologer before finalising a marriage. Some treat the score as the deciding factor. Others use it as one part of a broader conversation, alongside meeting the families, shared values, and the couple's own feelings. In diaspora communities, Kundali Milan is often done online or by phone with an astrologer back home. Some families skip it entirely. How much weight it carries depends on the family, the region they come from, and how traditional they are.