If you are asking "what is my rashi?", the answer is the sidereal zodiac sign the Moon occupied at the moment you were born. It is also called your Janma rashi or Vedic Moon sign. To find it accurately you need your date, time and place of birth, and it frequently differs from the Sun sign you know from Western horoscopes.

What is my rashi, and why does it matter?

In Vedic astrology the Moon represents the mind, emotions and instinctive responses. Your rashi therefore describes your inner temperament: how you feel, react and find comfort. It is also the reference point for several major techniques, including Sade Sati, many transit readings and traditional marriage matching.

The twelve rashis are Mesha (Aries), Vrishabha (Taurus), Mithuna (Gemini), Karka (Cancer), Simha (Leo), Kanya (Virgo), Tula (Libra), Vrischika (Scorpio), Dhanu (Sagittarius), Makara (Capricorn), Kumbha (Aquarius) and Meena (Pisces).

If you would rather have your rashi confirmed and explained for you, send your birth details through the enquiry form and I will suggest a suitable reading.

Why your rashi differs from your Western sign

Many people in the UK are surprised to find their rashi is not the sign they have always read about. There are two separate reasons, and they compound each other.

The Moon, not the Sun

Western "star signs" are based on the Sun's position. Your rashi is based on the Moon, which moves far faster and can be in any sign regardless of where the Sun was on your birthday.

A different zodiac

Western astrology usually uses the tropical zodiac, tied to the seasons. Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, tied to the fixed stars. Because of the slow precession of the equinoxes, the two are currently about 24 degrees apart. So even your Sun often falls in the previous sign when calculated the Vedic way.

A quick example

Someone born in early April may call themselves an Aries. In the sidereal zodiac their Sun is likely in Pisces, and their Moon, the basis of their rashi, could be in any of the twelve signs. For more on how these layers fit together, see the article on your Sun, Moon and ascending signs.

The emotional tone of each rashi group

A simple way to begin understanding your rashi is by its element. These are broad tendencies, and the rest of your chart always adds nuance.

Fire Moons (Mesha, Simha, Dhanu). Feelings tend to be quick, warm and expressed through action. Comfort often comes from movement, purpose and a sense of forward motion.
Earth Moons (Vrishabha, Kanya, Makara). Emotional security usually rests on routine, reliability and practical care. Change is often processed slowly and thoroughly.
Air Moons (Mithuna, Tula, Kumbha). Feelings are often worked through by talking, thinking and connecting with others. Space and variety matter.
Water Moons (Karka, Vrischika, Meena). Emotions tend to run deep and intuitive, with strong attachments and sensitivity to atmosphere.

The Moon's strength also matters. A Moon that is bright, well supported or in its own sign of Karka tends to steady the emotional nature, while a Moon under pressure may make feelings more changeable. That is something only the full chart can show.

Why birth details matter so much

The Moon changes sign roughly every two and a quarter to two and a half days. If you were born on a day when it changed sign, your rashi depends on the time of birth. The place matters too, because it fixes the time zone.

Time zones. A UK birth between late March and late October usually falls in British Summer Time, an hour ahead of GMT. Entering the wrong offset can change the result.
Records. English and Welsh birth certificates do not normally include the time of birth; Scottish ones do. Parents, hospital notes or a child health record may fill the gap.
Births abroad. For relatives born in India or elsewhere, check the local time and place carefully rather than converting to UK time.

Rashi, nakshatra and name letters

Each rashi contains parts of three nakshatras, the 27 lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. Your birth nakshatra is a finer detail within your rashi and sets the starting point of your Vimshottari dasha, the planetary periods that time your life chapters.

What "rashi by name" means

Traditionally, a child's name was chosen to begin with a syllable linked to the quarter (pada) of the birth nakshatra. Online "rashi by name" tools work backwards from that convention. They can be a starting point if you have no birth details at all, but they describe a name-based rashi, not necessarily the Moon's actual position at your birth. Where birth details exist, the chart takes priority.

How a reading uses your rashi

Knowing your rashi is interesting; seeing how it interacts with the rest of your chart is where it becomes useful. In a General Reading, a 30-minute online session over Google Meet or WhatsApp, I use your rashi alongside your ascendant, planetary positions and current dasha to offer guidance on a personal issue or professional decision.

If you would like longer-term guidance across several areas of life, the 60-minute In-Depth Reading gives more room to explore how your Moon sign shapes your emotional patterns, relationships and choices over time.

If your birth time is uncertain, mention it when you enquire. The reading can be shaped around what is known, and the article on a reading without an exact birth time explains the options.

Frequently asked questions

Can I find my rashi from my date of birth alone?

Often, yes, but not always. If the Moon changed sign on your birth date, you will need the time of birth to be certain.

Is my rashi the same as my star sign?

Usually not. A Western star sign is the tropical Sun sign; your rashi is the sidereal Moon sign. They coincide only occasionally.

Why do different websites give me different rashis?

Differences usually come from an incorrect time zone, an approximate birth time or a name-based calculation. A chart drawn from accurate birth details resolves it.

Still not sure of your rashi, or getting different answers from different websites? Send your date, time and place of birth through the enquiry form. I will confirm your Moon sign and nakshatra and, if you have a question in mind, suggest the reading that suits it.