What is a kundli?
A kundli (janma kundali) is the chart of planetary positions at the moment and place of birth, drawn in the Jyotish system.
What it is
It shows the Lagna, the nine grahas, their signs and houses, and the nakshatra of the Moon. Styles differ across India, but the content is the same.
How it is worked out or read
It is computed from the birth date, time, place and the chosen ayanamsa, and the result is the table in the birth chart tool.
Where it appears on this site
See the birth chart tool, and kundli styles for how it is drawn.
Kundli and chart as words
The word kundli comes from a Sanskrit root meaning a circle or a vessel, and in common Indian use it names the birth chart drawn in a diamond or square frame. In English, the same thing is usually called a birth chart or a natal chart. The words mean the same, but the drawing styles differ, as the kundli styles article explains. Whatever the word, the content is the record of planetary positions at the birth moment.
What a kundli contains
A complete kundli shows the Lagna and the sign of each of the nine grahas, the house each one occupies, and the nakshatra of the Moon. It usually includes the degree of each graha and whether a graha is retrograde. Many printed kundlis also list the dasha sequence from the Moon's nakshatra. This site's birth chart tool gives the same information in a table, with the inputs and the ayanamsa stated, so that the result can be checked.
Why a kundli is made
Families make kundlis for many reasons: to record a birth, to plan rites, to consult a practitioner, or out of simple interest in the traditional system. Making the chart yourself is a good way to learn, because each entry can be traced to its calculation. A kundli is a reference document, and its value depends on the accuracy of its inputs and the clarity of its method.
What a full kundli contains
A traditional kundli, or janma patrika, is more than a single chart. It usually records the birth details and the panchang of the birth moment, the tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga and karana, followed by the rashi chart showing the Lagna and planets, often the navamsha and other divisional charts, a table of planetary positions, and the Vimshottari dasha periods with their dates. Some also include the Moon chart and ashtakavarga tables.
Chart styles
The same information can be drawn in different styles. The North Indian style uses a diamond layout with fixed houses and sign numbers written in each. The South Indian style uses a square grid with fixed signs and the Lagna marked. The East Indian style, used in Bengal and Odisha, is another fixed-sign layout. All show the same chart; the article on chart styles explains how to read each.
On this site
The birth chart tool gives the core of a kundli in table form: the Lagna and the nine grahas with sign, degree, nakshatra, house and retrograde status, the twelve houses with their occupants, and a check of standard yogas. The dasha tool gives the Vimshottari periods, and the panchang tool gives the five limbs for any date, so together they cover the main parts of a traditional patrika.