Many families do not have an exact birth time. The horoscope may be lost, or the time was never written down. If this is your situation, you can still learn a great deal from matching. It simply helps to know where the edges are.
What you need for a star match
Two things for each person:
- the birth star (nakshatra), one of 27
- the Moon sign (rashirasi), one of 12
Most families know the birth star even when nothing else has survived. It is used in temple prayers and naming ceremonies, so it stays in memory.
What a star match can tell you
Quite a lot. All of the 10 traditional matching checks (Dasha Koota)the 10 poruthams are worked out from the two birth stars and the two Moon signs. So a star match gives you:
- Rajju and VedhaVedhai, the two must-match checks
- DinaDinam, GanaGanam, MahendraMahendram, Stree DeerghaStree Deergham and Yoni, which depend on the two stars
- RashiRasi, Rashi AdhipatiRasi Athipathi and VashyaVasiyam, which depend on the two Moon signs
Most checks count from the bride's star to the groom's star, so be clear about which star belongs to whom.
The answer follows the same rule as the full check. If Rajju or VedhaVedhai fails, the match is not recommended. If both pass, 7 or more matching checks is good, and 5 or 6 is average.
What it cannot tell you
Without the birth time, there is no ascendant (lagna). The ascendant changes roughly every two hours, so it cannot be guessed. That leaves some real gaps:
- Mangal doshaChevvai dosham can be checked from the Moon only. The full check looks at Mars from both the ascendant and the Moon. Without the time, half of that check is missing.
- Kaal Sarp (Rahu-Ketu) doshaRahu-Ketu (sarpa) dosham is checked from the Moon instead of the ascendant.
- Dosha balance (dosha samya)Dosha samyam, the balancing of doshasdoshams between the two charts, rests on these partial checks.
- The 7th house is read from the Moon sign rather than the ascendant. It is a respected method, but less precise.
- DashaDasa dates can shift. The planetary periods begin from the Moon's exact position at birth. The Moon crosses almost a whole star in a day, so without the time, the start and end of each period can move by months, and sometimes by years.
On some days the Moon moves into the next star during the day, so the birth star itself is uncertain. Navatara checks for this and tells you. The star the family has always used, in temple prayers or an old horoscope, usually settles it.
Stars that span two Moon signs
Each Moon sign holds two and a quarter stars. So 9 of the 27 stars are split across two signs. Every star has four quarters (padas), and the Moon sign depends on which quarter the Moon was in:
- Krittika: quarter 1 in Mesha (Aries), quarters 2 to 4 in Rishabha (Taurus)
- Mrigashira: quarters 1 and 2 in Rishabha (Taurus), 3 and 4 in Mithuna (Gemini)
- Punarvasu: quarters 1 to 3 in Mithuna (Gemini), quarter 4 in Kataka (Cancer)
- Uttara Phalguni: quarter 1 in Simha (Leo), quarters 2 to 4 in Kanni (Virgo)
- Chitra: quarters 1 and 2 in Kanni (Virgo), 3 and 4 in Thula (Libra)
- Vishakha: quarters 1 to 3 in Thula (Libra), quarter 4 in Vrischika (Scorpio)
- Uttara Ashadha: quarter 1 in Dhanus (Sagittarius), quarters 2 to 4 in Makara (Capricorn)
- Dhanishta: quarters 1 and 2 in Makara (Capricorn), 3 and 4 in Kumbha (Aquarius)
- Purva Bhadrapada: quarters 1 to 3 in Kumbha (Aquarius), quarter 4 in Meena (Pisces)
Rajju, VedhaVedhai and the other star-based checks stay the same either way. But the three sign-based checks, RashiRasi, Rashi AdhipatiRasi Athipathi and VashyaVasiyam, can change. If one of these nine stars is involved and you are not sure of the sign, ask the family, or check the match for both possible signs.
You can try both possibilities yourself with the free quick star match on our proposal check page.
When to get the full check
A star match is a sensible first filter. It tells you quickly whether a proposal is worth taking further. Get the full check, with both complete kundlisjathagams, when:
- the star match passes and the families are getting serious
- either side has been told about Mangal doshaChevvai dosham or another doshadosham
- you want to know the good marriage period for either person
- one of the nine split stars is involved and the Moon sign is not certain
If the time is known for one person but not the other, the full check still uses everything that is available. And if an old horoscope exists, even a handwritten one, it is worth looking for. It often records the birth time or the ascendant.
A star match, like any reading, is guidance to help your family decide with a clear mind. It is not a verdict on anyone.
Start with what you have
You do not need every detail to begin. Send the birth stars and Moon signs of both people on WhatsApp, or the full birth details where you have them, and you will be told clearly what the match shows and what would need the full horoscopes. Asking is free.