Birth chart of any individual is a graphical representation of the planet in the zodiac at the time of birth of those persons. A person comes into existence at a specific time, at a specific place. That is the first time when that person comes in direct contact with the surrounding world and its surroundings radiation and energies of various celestial bodies.
Moreover the birth data of any individuals should be accurate. Any change in the time given to the astrologer to forecast a birth chart makes a lot of changes in the birth chart and other subsidiary charts and calculations. Like with any other science, the accuracy of the input data is very essential to get accurate output results, in this case accurate predictions.
Style / Types Of Chart
There are three main styles prevailing in India :
1. North Indian Style
2. East Indian Style
3. South Indian Style
1. North Indian Style : -
North Indian Style is in use from Kashmir to Central India . Northern Indian chart is the one in which the order of the houses is fixed. It consists of four central rhomboidal houses [which are numbered I, IV, VII and X starting from the upper central rhomboid] and eight triangular houses. The sign rising at the time of birth is marked in the first house.
In above figure, Sagittarius {Dhanu} has been taken as ascendant [lagan] and is given at the top central point. Hence, Sagittarius is the First house, Capricorn in the Second house, Aquarius as third house, Pisces as in fourth house and so on.
2. The South Indian Style : -
The south Indian chart has the sign in a fixed order in the chart. The lagana is marked in the appropriate sign. The remaining houses are counted in a clockwise manner. In this style no numerical or names of rashis are given in the chart to indicate the placement of signs [rashis] because sign are fixed and this understood automatically. However, the ascendant and the planets are duly mentioned in the sign occupied by them in chart.
3. East Indian Style : -
East Indian style is commonly used in Assam, Bengal, Part of Orissa and Northern India’s Stated. This method is s compromise between North Indian and South Indian methods.
Place of Birth and Time
The standardization method of sun rising time has shown that the sunrise time varies from place to place. With the place of birth, the positional coordinates get fixed for the exact planetary and celestial combinations for that particular place (location) on the globe.
The birth chart may be though of as the ‘photo' of the position of planets and the constellation ‘frozen' at the time of the person's birth. For the sake of simplicity, the observable sky above the earth is represented as a square or a circular apace and divided into 12 parts. Each part is called a ‘house'.
In astrology, the place of birth, the date & the time of birth are of vital importance. This data should be as accurate as possible to cast a correct birth chart.
Like with any other science, the accuracy of the input data is very essential to get accurate output results in this case accuracy predictions. Many astrologers do not bother to check the accuracy of the birth-chart and if the birth-chart they have used for predictions is inaccurate, the predictions are bound to be wrong. This simple fact cannot be emphasized enough.
Constitution of charts
The chart itself is a composition of three layers superimposed on each other, having a relationship to each other and giving meaning to each other. The chart is the simplified representation of the sky, divided into 12 parts. There are twelve constellation-signs in the zodiac; so each sign must get representation on the chart. This chart is like a plan of the sky made on paper. The plan of the sky is divided in 12 parts. Each part is called a ‘house' (or Bhava); the top most space is called the First house.
The central, top most space in the chart is the First house. Then, working anti-clockwise is the 2 nd house, the 3 rd house, the fourth house and so on. The position of each house is fixed.
‘Numbers' are not actually written in the houses because the notation of the houses, beginning from the first house , is always fixed by convention and therefore not written into the chart.
From your date, time of birth and place of birth, the rising sign on the ascendant is calculated, this is the rising Sign of the zodiac that was there in the eastern horizon particularly at that date, time and particular place.
Being with the first house of the chart and write the sign-number of the rising sign in the First house (North Indian System). Working anti-clockwise o the chart, complete the sequence of the rest of the signs of the zodiac. For instance, if the rising sign of a person is Scorpio (sign no. 8), put down the numeral 8 in the first house of the chart. Next, working anti-clockwise put down the other signs in sequence, e.g., Sagittarius (no. 9) in second house, Capricorn (no. 10) in third house and so on till Libra (i. e., Rasi No. 7) occupies the last house.
