Kundli Milan (合婚配對)

Vedic Marriage Compatibility — the 36-Guna Match

Overview

Kundli Milan — also called Guna Milan or Ashta Koota — is the Vedic system of marriage compatibility used across the Indian subcontinent before a union is arranged. It scores two people's birth stars (Nakshatras) across eight 'Koots' (categories) for a total out of 36 'Gunas' (points). A score of 18 or more is traditionally considered the threshold for a recommended match, 24+ good and 32+ excellent. Beyond the raw score, the system flags specific doshas (afflictions) — notably Nadi and Bhakoot — that classical practice treats as serious.

Origin & history

Kundli Milan is rooted in classical Jyotish (Vedic astrology) and the Nakshatra system described in foundational texts such as Parashara's Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra. The Ashta Koota method — eight categories of ascending weight — became the standard framework for pre-marital matching over many centuries of practice.

For generations across India, Nepal, and the wider South Asian diaspora, families have exchanged horoscopes (kundlis) and had a Jyotishi compute the Guna Milan before fixing a marriage. The practice remains widespread today, embedded in matrimonial customs and now in countless online matchmaking services — making Kundli matching arguably the single most-performed calculation in living Vedic astrology.

How it works

Each person's Moon Nakshatra (one of 27 lunar mansions) is the input. The eight Koots are scored in ascending weight: Varna (1) — spiritual and ego compatibility; Vashya (2) — mutual attraction and influence; Tara (3) — health and destiny; Yoni (4) — physical and biological compatibility; Graha Maitri (5) — mental rapport via the Rashi lords' friendship; Gana (6) — temperament (Deva / Manushya / Rakshasa); Bhakoot (7) — emotional bond via the Moon-sign distance; and Nadi (8) — health and progeny. The points sum to a Guna score out of 36. The askTIAN API derives each Nakshatra from the birth date and returns the full per-Koot breakdown, the verdict band, the two Nakshatras and Rashis, and Nadi/Bhakoot dosha flags.

Good for

Use cases

Guna Milan Score

Enter two birth dates and receive the full 36-Guna breakdown — each of the 8 Koots with its points and maximum, the total, and the traditional verdict band (Excellent / Good / Average / Not Recommended).

Dosha Check

The response flags Nadi dosha (same Nadi — classically a serious health and progeny concern) and Bhakoot dosha (inauspicious Moon-sign distance), the two afflictions families most want to know about.

Comparing Matches

Run several candidate pairings to compare Guna scores and Koot profiles side by side — a fast first filter before deeper chart analysis.

Decision-Support Layer

Add an authentic Vedic compatibility signal to a multi-system relationship reading alongside Chinese zodiac, BaZi, and Western synastry.

Key terms

Guna
A 'point' of compatibility. The eight Koots together award up to 36 Gunas.
Nakshatra
One of the 27 lunar mansions; each person's Moon Nakshatra is the basis of the match.
Koot (Kuta)
A category of compatibility. The eight Koots — Varna, Vashya, Tara, Yoni, Graha Maitri, Gana, Bhakoot, Nadi — carry 1 to 8 points respectively.
Nadi Dosha
The affliction of two people sharing the same Nadi (Aadi / Madhya / Antya), classically linked to health and progeny and weighted most heavily.
Bhakoot
The Koot scoring the distance between the two Moon signs (Rashis); certain distances are inauspicious and score zero.

API

The askTIAN Kundli Milan API scores two birth dates across all eight Ashta Koota categories, returning each Koot's points and maximum, the total Guna score out of 36, the verdict band, the two Nakshatras and Rashis, and Nadi/Bhakoot dosha flags.

Endpoint: POST /trpc/kundli.match — 1 TIAN Points. See the API documentation and Playground.