Indian astrology is wide spread all over India with its ancient, medieval and modern developments with partial influence of Arabic and Western astrology.

Indian astrology was first written in the scientific way by Skanda or Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva. It was Skanda, who established the Shiva cult in South India along with Agasthya Rushi, who was one among the Saptarushis. Skanda wrote his astrology treatise which is now known as Skanda Hora, which termed as Vedanga. It was he who first emphasised the need for performing Yagnas, rituals and other worldly matters in auspicious time, which is termed as Muhurta. He also suggested auspicious directions to perform Puja, Japa, Yagna etc.

The Surya mandala was divided into 12 Rashis and Surya was given 12 names (Dwadashatman) to represent 12 rashis. (The 12 names are: Mitra, Ravi, Surya, Bhanu, Khaga, Poosha, Hiranyagarbha, Marichi, Aditya, Savita, Arka and Bhaskara).

Further the 25 Nakshatras were made to 24 deleting Abhijit and each rashi was to cover two stars. Then came the problem of Gandantha (Khanda antha end of each rashi and nakshatra). Skanda found a solution by dividing the three stars into two parts i.e. Phalguni to Poorva Phalguni and Utra Phalguni, Ashada into Poorvashada and Uttirashada and Proshtapada into Poorva Proshthapada and Uttira Proshthapada. This increased the no. of stars to 27. Dividing the same by 12, he gave 2.1/4 to each rashi, thereby reducing the 12 gandanthas to 3, i.e. Kataka-Simha, Vruschika-Dhanu and Meena-Mesha.

The different type of calendars: Only Souramana (solar) year was followed by the period of Skanda. Later, Brugu also followed the same pattern in his Samhita. But, Lagna and Chandra were not considered in his works and separate kundalis were prepared for changing position of all grahas including the Sun. However, Sun is kept as epicenter. Other types of calendars like Chandramana (Lunar years), Barhaspatyamana, Nakshatramana etc. came subsequently, in the northern parts of India. In Kerala, pure Souramana year is followed. Perhaps in Bengal and Assam too. For example, Vishu (Bigu) is the date of entry of the Sun into the Mesha rashi.

In Tamil Nadu, Sauramana is followed, but the names of the months are Chandramana. Andhra, Karnataka and Maharashtra also follow Chandramana.

Sauramana is based on the time taken by the Sun to travel all the 360 deg. Of Suryamandala, i.e. 365. days, which is divided into 12 rashis (months), thereby giving 30 plus or minus one day for each month. The day out of the 365. days is accounted by giving plus one day to Karkataka month, once in every four years. (So occasionally Karkataka month gets 32 days, and very rarely Mithuna gets 32 days). All other months almost have invariably fixed days, i.e. Kanya, Tula, Vruschika, Makara, Kumbha, Meena, have 30days each. Mesha 31, Rishabha 32, Mithuna 31, Karkataka and Simha have 31 days each. Dhanur month has 29 days.

Out of the 12 rashis, the 12th, Meena Rashi is of Dravidian origin. The word Meena is the tamil equivalent of word Matsya, in Sanskrit. But rishis of later years continued with the same Tamil word as it was given by Sage Skanda.

Now we will come to Nakshatras. The problem came of selecting Charana Akshara for each charana (quarter) of a star. Which star should be treated as first, so that the letter A to it. It was Skanda, who gave Krittika as the first Star or starting Nakshatra and gave A for its first quarter and EE to its second quarter, so on and so forth. This is why he is called as Kartikeya.

27 Nakshatras were formed as above. The date or Thithi is said to be on a Nakshatra, where the moon stands. Similarly, a chandramana month is called by the name because Poornima falls on that Nakshatra. For eg. Chaitra Poornima falls on a Chitra Nakshatra and Vaisakha Poornima falls on Visakha star and so on.

Skanda proposed the first Panchanga representing the five heads of Lord Shiva; giving each the names of Thithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga and Karana.

This peculiar omen is observed only in the South and not heard in North or Maharashtra. Each graha has its own orientation in the Navagraha Peetha.

		WEST
	RAHU	SHANI	KETU	
SOUTH	KUJA	RAVI	GURU	NORTH
	CHANDRA	SHUKRA	BUDHA	
		EAST 

In the above chart, Ravi Shukra and Budha are facing the East. On these days, if anybody travels from West, to East then the traveler is facing these grahas and it is said to be inauspicious, leading to failure in the mission. Similarly in Guruvara, a man traveling from North to South, will face Guru and hence inauspicious. This phenomenon is called Shulai in Tamil. It is said that Mondays and Saturdays, Shulai is towards the East, Thursday it is South, Fridays and Sundays, it is West and Tuesdays it is North. So Budha is an exception, as though it is facing East, the Shulai is North. In sculptures Budha and Guru are having yellow dress, yellow umbrella etc. But in practice, Budha is provided with greenish (parrot green), which is also a deviation from the scriptures.

(The present position of grahas which we see in the temples today is said to be the position in which they were made to be positioned by the great IDAIKKADAR one of the 18 great Siddhas to ward off a twelve year old famine in his country. Before that incident, they were in a different combination of positions. More about it will be written when we deal with Siddhas Editor)

The rising period of Rahu is considered inauspicious in the South as he is considered a malefic for auspicious functions. The time of Rahus rising differ on various days of the week. The total time of the period of rahu kalam is one and a half hours. For all practical purposes, it starts at 7.30 am on Monday, at 9.00 am on Saturday, but the excact time of Rahu kalam is to be calculated from the times of Sun rise and the sun set, divided by 8. An easy to remember Rahukalam on different days is follows:

MOTHER	MONDAY	W (WHITE)	7.30AM TO 9.00 AM
SAW	SATURDAY	I (INDIGO)	9.00 AM TO 10.30 AM
FATHER	FRIDAY	B (BLUE)	10.30 AM TO 12.00 hr
WEARING	WEDNESDAY	G (GREEN)	12.00 hr TO 1.30 PM
THE	THURSDAY	Y (YELLOW)	1.30 PM TO 3.00 PM
TURBAN on	TUESDAY	O (ORANGE)	3.00 PM TO 4.30 PM
SUNDAY	SUNDAY	R (RED)	4.30 PM TO 6.00 PM

YOU WILL NOTE THAT THE COLOURS ARE WIBGYOR AND NOT VIBGYOR.

The time duration of one and a half hours for every rahu kalam duration is based on the earliest division of the zodiac and the day into 16 instead of 12 as at present. In the DEVIMANA (ASHTHANGA) CALENDAR (prevalent even today for certain Devi Poojas) there are 16 months in a calendar year and 36 days in a month, 4 weeks of nine days each in every month.

Gulika is also called Mandi (i. e. the son of Manda alias Shani). His rising period is also not auspicious. Not only that, the raashi where he stands is not also used for auspicious functions. He rises twice a day. Once in day and other at night. However, inauspicious time is given 1 hours every day, starting from Saturday (Being son of Saturn) 6.00 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and going backwards i.e. Friday, 7.30 to 9.00 a.m., and Thursday 9.00 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.

Yamaganda is the son of Guru and he is also considered inauspicious and his rising period starts from Thursday, from 6.00 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and going backwards i.e. on Wednesday 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. etc.

NAME OF THE WEEK	GULIKAI KALAM	YAMAGANDA KALAM
SUNDAY	3.00 TO 4.30 P.M.	12.00 TO 1.30 P.M.
MONDAY	1.30 TO 3.00 P.M.	10.30 TO 12.00 NOON
TUESDAY	12.00 TO 1.30 P.M.	09.00 TO 10.30 A.M.
WEDNESDAY	10.30 TO 12.00 NOON	07.30 TO 9.00 A.M.
THURSDAY	9.00 TO 10.30 A.M.	06.00 TO 7.30 A.M.
FRIDAY	7.30 TO 9.00 A.M.	3.00 TO 4.30 P.M.
SATURDAY	6.00 TO 7.30 A.M.	01.30 TO 3.00 P.M.

The Rahu, Gulika and Yamaganda are not considered in Maharashtra and other Northern states of India.

Skanda favoured the Yogini Dasa and The Ashthottari Dasa. He considered Lagna ( the position of Ravi as basic) for Kundali purposes. In Chalita Kundali (chara) the relative position of the planets with respect to Chandra is considered. Skanda Hora was followed by Brugu Hora and Surya Hora. Brugu, when he prepared his Samhita, prepared horoscopes with Sun as epicenter and Moon is not at all considered. At the time of Parashara due to lapse of time and change of Ayanama, the starting star was shifted from Krittika to Ashwani, but he kept the charanaksharas same as mentioned by Skanda. So, from Parashras time, Rashis start from Mesha and stars start from Ashwini. During the period of Skanda, it was Rushaba and Krittika respectively. There was a time, before Skanda, when stars start from Ardhra.

NAKSHATRAMALA: Daily nakshatras correspond to the position of Chandra, while the rutus are formed by Suryanakshatras. This theory of Skanda is still followed all over India, especially, farmers. Rains start (Varsharutu), when Mruga Nakshatra begins. Suns travel period on each star is approximately 13.1/2 days (approx). This period is specifically called as Natruvelai in Malayalam, derived from the Tamil word, jnayiru nirkum velai.

Ganitha : The old calculation method is called Ganitha. This was modified by Parasara and then Varahamihira. And recently by Drikganitha, invented by Namboodiris from Kerala and was accepted by Lokmanya Tilak, who was also a great mathematician. All over India, this Drikganitha is followed, except Tamil Nadu, where still the Parahita Ganitha (Pambu Punjangam) is followed. In Tamil, most of the Hora Shastras are in poetry form, to make it easy, to learn by heart and for continuity. Numbers in the astrological books are described in the form of indicative words. Bana (arrow) i.e. 5, Dweepa (island) i.e. 7, Vara 7, Vayu, 5, Surya 12, Rudra 11, Nakshatra 27. Ka to Jha 1 to 9. jna 0, Ta to Dha 1 to 9, na 0, Pa to ma 1 to 5, Ya to Ha 1 to 8. These numerical epithets are called katapayathi.

SRI RAMA RAMA RAMETHI
RAME RAAME MANORAME
SAHASRA NAMA THATTULYAM
RAMA NAMA VARAANANE.