Complete guide to Kundali Milan: all 8 kootas of Ashtakoota matching, how the 36 gunas are scored, what each koota assesses, and how to read the final score.
Kundali Milan (Gun Milan) compares two horoscopes across eight kootas — Varna, Vashya, Tara, Yoni, Graha Maitri, Gana, Bhakoot and Nadi — worth 1 to 8 points each, totalling 36 gunas. A score of 18 or more is traditionally required for marriage; 25 to 32 is very good, and 33 to 36 is excellent.
Kundali Milan — also called Gun Milan or Ashtakoota matching — is the classical North Indian method of checking marriage compatibility from two birth charts. "Ashta" means eight and "koota" means group or factor, so the system examines eight distinct dimensions of compatibility. Each koota carries a different maximum score, and the maximums increase in order of importance: the first koota is worth 1 point and the eighth is worth 8. Added together, the eight maximums total 36 gunas. You can score a real pair instantly on our free Kundali Milan Calculator.
Almost everything in Ashtakoota is derived from the Moon's position at birth — specifically the bride's and groom's Nakshatra (the Moon's constellation) and Rashi (the Moon sign). This is why an accurate birth date, time and place matter so much: they fix the Moon's exact position, and with it, every koota score.
Here is the full Ashtakoota table. Notice how the points climb from 1 to 8 — the classical authors deliberately weighted the later kootas, which deal with health, progeny and emotional harmony, far more heavily than the earlier ones.
| Koota | Max points | What it assesses |
|---|---|---|
| Varna | 1 | Temperament compatibility groups — whether the couple's basic natures work together in daily life |
| Vashya | 2 | Mutual influence and attraction — who naturally draws whom, based on Rashi groupings |
| Tara | 3 | Birth-star compatibility and shared fortune, counted between the two Nakshatras |
| Yoni | 4 | Physical and instinctive compatibility, from the animal symbol of each Nakshatra |
| Graha Maitri | 5 | Friendship between the lords of the two Moon signs — mental wavelength and companionship |
| Gana | 6 | Temperament class (Deva, Manushya, Rakshasa) — how the couple handles conflict and daily behaviour |
| Bhakoot | 7 | Relative position of the two Rashis — emotional bond, family growth and prosperity |
| Nadi | 8 | Physiological constitution and progeny — the single heaviest factor in the system |
Each koota is scored from 0 up to its maximum. Some kootas award partial points (Tara and Graha Maitri commonly do), while others are closer to all-or-nothing — Nadi is scored either 8 or 0, and Bhakoot is usually 7 or 0. The eight scores are then added to give the final guna count out of 36.
The traditional interpretation bands are consistent across most classical sources and family astrologers:
| Guna score | Traditional verdict | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Below 18 | Not recommended | Fewer than half the gunas match; most astrologers advise against proceeding without deeper remedial analysis |
| 18 – 24 | Acceptable | An average match — workable, but families usually ask the astrologer to check the failing kootas individually |
| 25 – 32 | Very good | A strong match across most dimensions; this is the band most approved matches fall into |
| 33 – 36 | Excellent | Rare, near-complete harmony across all eight kootas |
Nadi (8) and Bhakoot (7) together control 15 of the 36 points — over 40% of the whole system. The classical texts weighted them this way because they map to what elders considered the two gravest risks in a marriage: Nadi relates to physiological constitution and the health of children, while Bhakoot relates to the emotional bond and the family's growth and prosperity.
Both are also effectively pass/fail. When the bride and groom share the same Nadi, the entire 8 points are lost at once — this is Nadi dosha, the most-discussed defect in Kundali Milan. Similarly, certain Rashi placements (2-12, 6-8, 5-9 counts) forfeit all 7 Bhakoot points as Bhakoot dosha. A pair that fails both starts from a maximum of only 21, which is why many astrologers treat these two kootas as deal-breaker checks before even totalling the rest. We cover the heaviest one in depth in our guide to Nadi dosha in kundali matching.
Both doshas have recognised classical cancellations (dosha bhang) — for example, Nadi dosha is traditionally considered cancelled when the couple share the same Rashi but different Nakshatras. A good matching report states not just the dosha but whether a cancellation applies.
No — and this is the most common mistake families make. The 36-guna score is only the Ashtakoota layer. A complete matching analysis also runs checks that sit outside the guna count:
Fixes the planetary positions for the day. The Moon changes Nakshatra roughly every 24 hours, so even the date alone narrows things considerably — but not enough on its own.
The Moon moves about 13 degrees per day, so a few hours' error can shift the Nakshatra — and with it Tara, Yoni, Gana and Nadi scores. Time also fixes the Lagna used in the wider chart analysis.
Converts the clock time to the correct local sidereal time. Two babies born at the same instant in Delhi and Chennai have measurably different charts.
"Kundali milan by name only" tools exist online, but they estimate the Nakshatra from the first syllable of the name — a folk convention, not the birth chart. Since every koota score flows from the actual Moon position, name-based matching can disagree completely with matching done from real birth details. Treat it as entertainment, never as a basis for a marriage decision.
Traditionally, at least 18 of 36 gunas should match for a marriage to be recommended. Scores of 18–24 are acceptable, 25–32 very good, and 33–36 excellent. Below 18, most astrologers advise against proceeding. However, the per-koota breakdown matters as much as the total — a high score can still conceal Nadi or Bhakoot dosha.
Name-based matching estimates the Nakshatra from the first syllable of a person's name, which is a naming custom rather than astronomy. Real Kundali Milan is computed from the Moon's actual position, which requires date, time and place of birth. The two methods can give completely different results, so name-only matching should never be used for an actual marriage decision.
Nadi, worth 8 of the 36 points, is the heaviest single koota — it relates to physiological constitution and progeny, and it scores either 8 or 0. Bhakoot, worth 7 points, is next. Together they control over 40% of the total, which is why astrologers check Nadi and Bhakoot dosha before anything else.
A perfect 36/36 is rare and traditionally considered excellent — complete harmony across all eight kootas. Some astrologers note it usually requires very similar charts, and still recommend confirming the Manglik status and individual chart strength separately, since those checks sit outside the guna count entirely.
No. The Manglik (Mangal dosha) check is a separate analysis of Mars's house position in each chart and is not part of the 36 gunas at all. A couple can score 30+ gunas while being mismatched on Manglik status. A complete matching report always shows the guna score and the Manglik comparison side by side.
Generally no. Tamil and most South Indian families use the 10-porutham system, which checks factors like Dina, Gana, Rajju and Yoni porutham from the same birth stars but scores them differently. Cross-regional matches often compute both systems so each family can read the one they trust.
Phone-verified profiles, horoscope compatibility scores out of 10, and community-specific matching — free to browse.
Create Free Profile →