Malayalam Nakshatra Names: All 27 Nakshatras in Malayalam

1. Ashwathi (അശ്വതി) — Sanskrit: Ashwini | Ruling Planet: Ketu | Mesha (Aries) 0°–13°20'
2. Bharani (ഭരണി) — Sanskrit: Bharani | Ruling Planet: Venus | Mesha (Aries) 13°20'–26°40'
3. Karthika (കാർത്തിക) — Sanskrit: Krittika | Ruling Planet: Sun | Mesha–Vrishaba 26°40'–40°
4. Rohini (രോഹിണി) — Sanskrit: Rohini | Ruling Planet: Moon | Vrishaba (Taurus) 40°–53°20'
5. Makayiram (മകയിരം) — Sanskrit: Mrigashira | Ruling Planet: Mars | Vrishaba–Mithuna 53°20'–66°40'
6. Thiruvathira (തിരുവാതിര) — Sanskrit: Ardra | Ruling Planet: Rahu | Mithuna (Gemini) 66°40'–80°
7. Punartham (പുണർതം) — Sanskrit: Punarvasu | Ruling Planet: Jupiter | Mithuna–Karka 80°–93°20'
8. Pooyam (പൂയം) — Sanskrit: Pushya | Ruling Planet: Saturn | Karka (Cancer) 93°20'–106°40'
9. Ayilyam (ആയില്യം) — Sanskrit: Ashlesha | Ruling Planet: Mercury | Karka (Cancer) 106°40'–120°
10. Makam (മകം) — Sanskrit: Magha | Ruling Planet: Ketu | Simha (Leo) 120°–133°20'
11. Pooram (പൂരം) — Sanskrit: Purva Phalguni | Ruling Planet: Venus | Simha (Leo) 133°20'–146°40'
12. Uthram (ഉത്രം) — Sanskrit: Uttara Phalguni | Ruling Planet: Sun | Simha–Kanya 146°40'–160°
13. Atham (അത്തം) — Sanskrit: Hasta | Ruling Planet: Moon | Kanya (Virgo) 160°–173°20'
14. Chithira (ചിത്തിര) — Sanskrit: Chitra | Ruling Planet: Mars | Kanya–Tula 173°20'–186°40'
15. Chothi (ചോതി) — Sanskrit: Swati | Ruling Planet: Rahu | Tula (Libra) 186°40'–200°
16. Vishakham (വിശാഖം) — Sanskrit: Vishakha | Ruling Planet: Jupiter | Tula–Vrishchika 200°–213°20'
17. Anizham (അനിഴം) — Sanskrit: Anuradha | Ruling Planet: Saturn | Vrishchika (Scorpio) 213°20'–226°40'
18. Thrikketta (തൃക്കേട്ട) — Sanskrit: Jyeshtha | Ruling Planet: Mercury | Vrishchika (Scorpio) 226°40'–240°
19. Moolam (മൂലം) — Sanskrit: Mula | Ruling Planet: Ketu | Dhanus (Sagittarius) 240°–253°20'
20. Pooradam (പൂരാടം) — Sanskrit: Purva Ashadha | Ruling Planet: Venus | Dhanus (Sagittarius) 253°20'–266°40'
21. Uthradam (ഉത്രാടം) — Sanskrit: Uttara Ashadha | Ruling Planet: Sun | Dhanus–Makara 266°40'–280°
22. Thiruvonam (തിരുവോണം) — Sanskrit: Shravana | Ruling Planet: Moon | Makara (Capricorn) 280°–293°20'
23. Avittam (അവിട്ടം) — Sanskrit: Dhanishta | Ruling Planet: Mars | Makara–Kumbha 293°20'–306°40'
24. Chathayam (ചതയം) — Sanskrit: Shatabhisha | Ruling Planet: Rahu | Kumbha (Aquarius) 306°40'–320°
25. Pooruruttathi (പൂരുരുട്ടാതി) — Sanskrit: Purva Bhadrapada | Ruling Planet: Jupiter | Kumbha–Meena 320°–333°20'
26. Uthrattathi (ഉത്തൃട്ടാതി) — Sanskrit: Uttara Bhadrapada | Ruling Planet: Saturn | Meena (Pisces) 333°20'–346°40'
27. Revathi (രേവതി) — Sanskrit: Revati | Ruling Planet: Mercury | Meena (Pisces) 346°40'–360°

Your Janma Nakshatra (Janma Nakshatram / ജന്മ നക്ഷത്രം) is the Malayalam birth star — determined by the zodiac sign and degree of your Moon at the moment of birth. In Kerala culture, the Janma Nakshatra is far more prominent than the Sun sign. It is used for:

- **Namakaranam (Naming Ceremony):** The child's name is traditionally chosen based on the syllable (akshar) associated with their Janma Nakshatra's first pada.
- **Star Matching (Porutham):** Kerala marriage compatibility is determined by comparing the bride's and groom's Janma Nakshatras across 10 Poruthams (compatibility checks).
- **Daily Auspicious Timings:** Each day of the Malayalam calendar (Panchangam) lists the Nakshatra ruling that day. Matching your Janma Nakshatra to auspicious calendar Nakshatras is used for selecting dates.
- **Janma Dinam (Birthday):** In Kerala tradition, your true birthday is the day your Janma Nakshatra returns each month — not your solar birth date. This occurs roughly once per month.
- **Star-Based Rituals:** Temples in Kerala conduct special pujas on specific Nakshatra days. Knowing your star determines which deity and which days are most beneficial for worship.

To find your Janma Nakshatra (birth star in Malayalam), you need three pieces of information: your date of birth, exact time of birth, and place of birth. The Moon moves through all 27 Nakshatras in approximately 27.3 days, spending roughly one day in each star.

The Moon's exact zodiac degree at your birth time determines your Nakshatra. For example, if your Moon is at 70° (10° Gemini), you fall in Thiruvathira (Ardra), which spans 66°40'–80°.

Because the Moon moves quickly (about 13° per day), birth time accuracy matters. A few hours' difference can sometimes shift the Moon from one Nakshatra to the adjacent one, especially near Nakshatra boundaries.

Kaala's Vedic birth chart calculator uses Swiss Ephemeris for NASA-grade planetary precision. Enter your birth details to get your exact Janma Nakshatra, full birth chart, and AI-powered interpretation by Jyoti, your Vedic astrology guide.

In Vimshottari Dasha — the primary predictive timeline system in Vedic astrology — your Janma Nakshatra determines which planetary period (Mahadasha) you begin life with and how the 120-year cycle is sequenced for you.

Each of the 27 Nakshatras is associated with one of 9 planets (Navagrahas). The Mahadasha sequence begins with the ruler of your Janma Nakshatra. For example:
- Ashwathi (Ketu): begins with Ketu Mahadasha (7 years)
- Karthika (Sun): begins with Sun Mahadasha (6 years)
- Rohini (Moon): begins with Moon Mahadasha (10 years)

The remaining Dasha years of your birth Mahadasha are calculated based on how far the Moon had traveled through your Janma Nakshatra at the time of birth. This makes the exact Nakshatra degree — and therefore precise birth time — critical for accurate Dasha predictions.

Kaala calculates all five levels of the Vimshottari Dasha (Mahadasha, Antardasha, Pratyantardasha, Sookshmadasha, Prana Dasha) from your Janma Nakshatra, giving you a complete life timeline mapped to your birth star.

Several Nakshatra-based doshas (afflictions) are important in Kerala Jyotish tradition:

**Kuja Dosha (Chevvai Dosham):** When Mars occupies specific houses, it creates Manglik Dosha. In Kerala marriage matching, this is assessed carefully alongside Nakshatra Porutham.

**Naga Dosha:** Formed by Rahu/Ketu in certain positions, associated with serpent deities. Remedied through Sarpa Bali and Nagapratishtha rituals at Kerala temples.

**Janma Nakshatra Dosha:** Certain Nakshatras are traditionally considered challenging for marriage ceremonies (Janma, Anujanma, Trijanma — the 1st, 10th, and 19th Nakshatras from the bride or groom's Janma Nakshatra).

**Shashta-Ashtaka:** When two people's Janma Nakshatras fall in the 6th-8th position from each other, it is considered inauspicious for marriage in Kerala tradition.

These are classical considerations from Kerala Jyotish texts. Modern interpretation weighs them alongside the complete chart for a balanced assessment.