Vedic astrology uses two main chart formats — the North Indian diamond-style chart and the South Indian square-grid chart — both displaying the same planetary information but in different visual layouts with different conventions.
North Indian Chart: Planets Move, Signs are Fixed
The North Indian chart (also called the 'Diamond' or 'Lozenge' style) is drawn as a square divided into 12 diamond-shaped compartments. The houses are fixed in position — the Ascendant is always at the top center diamond. The zodiac signs rotate, meaning each house is labeled with its sign number. This format is dominant in northern India, Nepal, and among Hindi-speaking communities.
South Indian Chart: Signs Fixed, Houses Move
The South Indian chart uses a 4×3 grid of squares. Unlike the North Indian chart, the zodiac signs are fixed in position (Aries always appears in the top-right corner), and the Ascendant mark (a double line or diagonal) moves to whichever sign is your rising sign. This style is used predominantly in South India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh) and Sri Lanka.
East Indian (Bengali/Oriya) Style
A third format used in eastern India (West Bengal, Odisha) resembles the North Indian chart but with different house arrangements. My Kundli AI displays both North and South Indian chart formats, allowing you to view your Kundli in whichever style you're most comfortable with. Astrologers in India have strong preferences based on their regional tradition, but the underlying calculations are identical.
Key Takeaway
Neither chart style is inherently better — choose the format you grew up with or find most intuitive to read, as the planetary information is the same in both.
View Your Kundli in Both Styles
View Your Kundli in Both Styles→