Nakshatra compatibility — called star match in the North and porutham in Tamil tradition — compares the birth stars (and Moon signs) of two people to judge marital harmony. It is the engine behind the familiar 36-point guna milan score.
What the star match measures
The Ashtakoota system scores eight factors (kootas) from the two nakshatras and rashis — including Nadi (health and progeny), Bhakoot (emotional and financial harmony), Gana (temperament), and Yoni (physical compatibility). Each koota carries a different weight, up to 36 points total.
The high-weight factors
- Nadi (8 points): the highest-weighted koota, linked to health and progeny; Nadi dosha is taken seriously but has classical exceptions.
- Bhakoot (7 points): emotional and financial harmony between the two Moon signs.
- Gana (6 points): temperament match — Deva, Manushya, or Rakshasa nature.
- Yoni (4 points): instinctive and physical compatibility.
Reading the score correctly
18 out of 36 is the traditional minimum and 24+ is considered good — but the number is meaningless without also checking Manglik status and whether any dosha (Nadi, Bhakoot) has a valid cancellation. A high score with an unaddressed severe dosha is not a green light.
Match with real calculation
Sivayan computes full Ashtakoota from both nakshatras with classical tables, runs a severity-aware Manglik check on each side, and projects the eight kootas into plain-language compatibility dimensions — so you understand the score, not just read it.