What is a rashi in Vedic astrology?
Explainer · reviewed August 2026
A rashi is a 30° arc of the 360° celestial zodiac belt. In Vedic astrology, the zodiac is divided into twelve equal sidereal signs measured against fixed stellar constellations, beginning at 0° Mesha (Aries) aligned via the Lahiri ayanamsa.
The twelve sidereal signs
The 360° ecliptic is divided into twelve equal signs of 30° each: Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna, Karka, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrishchika, Dhanu, Makara, Kumbha, and Meena.
Each rashi is associated with a natural element (fire, earth, air, water), a modality (movable, fixed, dual), and a governing planetary ruler (graha lord).
Sidereal vs. tropical: why the offset exists
The tropical zodiac used in Western astrology measures from the vernal equinox point. Because of the Earth’s axial precession, this equinox point drifts westward along the ecliptic by about 50.3 arcseconds per year (~1 degree every 71.6 years).
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal (nirayana) zodiac, which remains locked to the fixed stellar constellations by subtracting this precessional difference (ayanamsa). Today, the Lahiri ayanamsa offset is approximately 24° 14′.
The Twelve Rashis and Their Attributes
| # | Rashi (Sanskrit) | Western Name | Element | Ruling Planet | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesha | Aries | Fire (Agni) | Mangal (Mars) | 0° – 30° |
| 2 | Vrishabha | Taurus | Earth (Prithvi) | Shukra (Venus) | 30° – 60° |
| 3 | Mithuna | Gemini | Air (Vayu) | Budha (Mercury) | 60° – 90° |
| 4 | Karka | Cancer | Water (Jala) | Chandra (Moon) | 90° – 120° |
| 5 | Simha | Leo | Fire (Agni) | Surya (Sun) | 120° – 150° |
| 6 | Kanya | Virgo | Earth (Prithvi) | Budha (Mercury) | 150° – 180° |
| 7 | Tula | Libra | Air (Vayu) | Shukra (Venus) | 180° – 210° |
| 8 | Vrishchika | Scorpio | Water (Jala) | Mangal (Mars) | 210° – 240° |
| 9 | Dhanu | Sagittarius | Fire (Agni) | Guru (Jupiter) | 240° – 270° |
| 10 | Makara | Capricorn | Earth (Prithvi) | Shani (Saturn) | 270° – 300° |
| 11 | Kumbha | Aquarius | Air (Vayu) | Shani (Saturn) | 300° – 330° |
| 12 | Meena | Pisces | Water (Jala) | Guru (Jupiter) | 330° – 360° |
Lahiri sidereal zodiac · 30° equal divisions
Calculate your exact lagna and planetary signs in ePandit
ePandit checks these rules against your own birth chart, and shows which are sourced to a classical text and which are our engine's.
Common questions
How is a rashi different from a nakshatra?
The zodiac is divided into 12 rashis of 30° each and 27 nakshatras of 13° 20′ each. Exactly 2.25 nakshatras (9 padas of 3° 20′) fit inside each rashi.
Which ayanamsa does ePandit use to compute rashis?
ePandit uses the Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa, the official standard recognized by standard Indian panchangs and the Calendar Reform Committee.