Match Making in Indian Vedic Astrology Marriage is a very solemn binding for the bride and the groom. In India it is a very sacred occasion for the Hindus. The parents and the aged relatives of the boy and the girl to be married take great care before getting them engaged in wedlock as there is no turning back from the marriage vow. To ensure a long and happy married life, the ancient Indian sages and saints devised a method to check the matrimonial adaptability or marriageable compatibility which is called 'Marriage Matching' or 'Match-making'. They devised the method of matching by Koota Agreement based on the Birth Stars of the boy and the girl. Originally they recommended 20 kootas. But out of these only 10 kootas are considered for the actual horoscope matching and in some parts of India only 8 kootas are considered. Hence it also popularly known as "Das Poritham" in Hindi or 10 Porutham in Tamil. The 10 Kootas or the 10 Poruthams
According to Indian Astrological principles there are 28 Nakshathras (Stars) in an oval round called the zodiac and the Navagrahas (the nine planets ) which transit this Zodiac. This heavenly
constitution exert their combined astral influences on human beings.
The Kootas agreement is ascertained by examining the birth stars and the Janma rasis, of the boy and girl. Each koota has a specific role or a part to play. 1) Dinam (Dinath Ayushyam Aarokyam) The presence of Dina Koota agreement ensures that the husband and wife remain healthy and free from all sorts of diseases and will enjoy all comforts and a long lease of life. Count the stars beginning fron the star of the girl. If such counted number comes as 2,4,6,8,9,11,13,15,18,20,24,26, it is good and agrees. If Rohini, Ardhra, Maka, Visaka, Sravana, Hasta, Uttarashada, Revathi happens to be the same star for girl and boy they agree. In cases of Mrigasira, Aswani, Krithika, Punarvasu, Pushya, Uttara, Chitra, Uttarashada, Purvashada stars, if they are same they also agree but are given secondary choice. Others do not agree. In cases where the two stars are same it is good that the signs of the boy leads that of girl. 27th star even in different signs has to be rejected. 2) Ganam (Sobanam Ganam Evacha) This koota ensures compatible sex life. It is the matching of the human minds and their temperaments.

Deva Gana	Manushya Gana	Rakshasa Gana
Aswani	Bharani	Krithika
Mrigasira	Rohini	Ashlesha
Punarvasu	Ardhra	Makha
Pushya	Poorvaphalguni	Chitra
Hasta	Uttaraphalguni	Visaka
Swathi	Purvashada	Jyeshta
Anuradha	Uttarashada	Moola
Sravana	Poorvabhadrapada	Dhanishta
Revathi	Uttarabhadrapada	Satabisha

If both are Deva or Manushya Gana they agree. In case the gana of the girl is Deva and that of the boy is Manushya it agrees as secondary. If both are of Rakshasa they do not agree. This agreement confers general happiness of marital life. 3) Yoni ( Yonitho Dhampathy Sneham ) This is another koota which is interpreted in two ways. The word Yoni indicates the private reproductive organ of a women. So it is said that presence of Yoni Koota is a must to ensure sexual compatibility. Each star is having certain animal force associated with it.They are:

Nakshatra	Animal	Nakshatra	Animal
Aswini	Horse	Bharani	Elephant
Kritika	Goat	Rohini	Snake
Mrigasira	Snake	Ardra	Dog
Punarvasu	Cat	Pushya	Goat
Aslesha	Cat	Magha	Rat
Poorvaphalguni	Rat	Uttaraphalguni	Bull
Hasta	Buffalo	Chitra	Tiger
Swati	Buffalo	Visakha	Tiger
Anuradha	Deer	Jyehsta	Deer
Moola	Dog	Poorvashadha	Monkey
Uttarashadha	Mongoose	Sravana	Monkey
Dhanshita	Lion	Satabisha	Horse
Poorvabhadrapada	Lion	Uttarabhadrapada	Cow
Revati	Elephant

Cow and tiger, elephant and lion, horse and buffalo, dog and deer, rat and cat, goat and monkey, snake and mongoose are declared enemies to each other. The stars of mutual enemies do not agree. If they are of some yoni but only enemy to each other as dog and cow they agrees as secondary. This agreement confers mutual love between husband and wife. 4) Rasi ( Rasinam Vamsavirthi Kiruth ) This ensures the continuation of one's family through the birth of a son. If there is no progeny or issue, his family and tradition will end with him. Another school of thought interprets it as cordial relationship between the daughter-in-law and her in-laws. Counting from that of the girl if the Rasi of the boy is 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 there is no proper agreement. If both the signs are same there is agreement and in such a case the Rasi of Aquarius, Leo, Cancer, Capricorn do not agree, if both are mutually in 7th to each other. Of these if they are 6 to 8 they do not agree. This confers children. 5) Rasiyathipaty ( Santhanam Rasiythipathy ) This refers to the friendship between the lords of the birth stars of the girl and boy. This koota ensures santhanam. The word santhanam also means progeny which is denoted Rasi Koota. See the Rasi of the boy and girl, their lords should be friendly or neutral. This aspect confers children.

Planet	Friend	Enemy	Neutral
Sun	Moon, Mars,Jupiter	Saturn, Venus Rahu, Kethu	Mercury
Moon	Sun, Mercury	Rahu, Kethu	Mars, Jupiter Venus, Saturn
Mars	Sun, Moon,Jupiter	Mercury Rahu Kethu	Venus Saturn
Mercury	Sun ,Venus	Moon	Mars, Jupiter Saturn, Rahu Kethu
Jupiter	Sun,Moon, Mars	Mercury, Venus	Saturn, Rahu Kethu
Venus	Mercury, Saturn Rahu, Kethu	Sun, Moon	Mars ,Jupiter
Saturn	Venus, Mercury Rahu, Kethu	Sun,Moon, Mars	Jupiter

6) Rajju ( Rajju Mngalya Vrithysyath ) This bestows on the girl living happily with the husband for the long time. It is considered as the most important of the ten kootas as it ensures a long life for the husband. The group stars make up a figure. The groups form foot , thigh, middle, neck, head. They are as follows :

Portion	Star
Head	Mirgasira, Chitra, Dhanishta
Neck	Rohini, Ardhra, Hasta, Swati, Sravana, Satabisha
Middle	Krithika, Punarvasu, Uttara, Visaka, Uthrashada, Purvabadra
Thigh	Barani, Pushya, Pubba, Anuradha, Uttarabadra, Purvashada
Foot	Aswani, Aslesha, Maka, Jyeshta, Moola, Revati

If both the stars of the boy and girl come in the same portion as foot or head or neck etc there is no agreement. If they happen to be in the same line as head, the husband will die, if in the neck, the wife will meet death, if in the middle loss of children, if under thigh extreme poverty and if under foot pitiable wanderings. This is a very important agreement. 7) Vedha ( Vedhaya Sohanasanam ) Vedha means affliction. This koota agreement wards of all evils and pitfalls in married life. A happy and prosperous married life is assured as a result. Certain stars are mutually anti or opposite to each other. The star of boy and girl should not be mutually anti to each other. They are as follows :

Aswini	Anti to	Jyehsta
Bharani		Anuradha
Kritika		Visakha
Rohini		Swati
Ardra		Sravana
Punarvasu		Uttarashadha
Pushya		Poorvashadha
Aslesha		Moola
Magha		Revati
Poorvaphalguni		Uttarabhadrapada
Hasta		Satabisha
Uttaraphalguni		Poorvabhadrapada

Mrigasira, Chitrai, Dhanishta are mutually anti to each other. This vedha agreement is very important like Rajju agreement. Happiness cannot be obtained if they are anti. 8) Vasya ( Vasyath Anniyonnia Vasyaham ) It is believed that the presence of this koota agreement assures mutual love and attachement. The Rasi for both the boy and girl should be agreeing to each other. This confers mutual affection between couples.

Rasi	Agreeable Rasis
Aries	Scorpio, Leo
Taurus	Cancer
Gemini	Virgo
Cancer	Sagittarius, Scoprio
Leo	Libra
Virgo	Gemini, Pisces
Libra	Capricorn, Virgo
Scorpio	Cancer
Sagittarius	Pisces
Capricorn	Pisces
Aquarius	Virgo
Pisces	Aries

9) Mahendhram ( Mahendram Puthira Vrithisyath ) It assures progeny or children in a larger measure. Counting from that of the girl if the star of the boy comes as 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 22, 25 they agree. This confers wealth and children for the couple. 10) Stree Deergam ( Stree Deergath Sarva Sampathha ) It ensures accumulation of wealth and all round prosperity. Counting from that of the girl, if the star of the boy is more than 13 it agrees. Some declare that if it is 7 it agrees. The benefit of this is that the span of married life will extend for long period. The above mentioned 10 Kootas are the main ones considered before deciding on a marriage. The following two kootas are also used in certain cases.
11) Nadi : Nadi means pulse which is a medical term. So nadi koota ensures health, longevity of the couple and happiness of children. 12) Varna Koota : Varna refers to the caste of the girl and boy and it is having no or less relevance now a days as inter-caste marriages have become common. The astrologers have given certain points to all these kootas, The points are summed up according to the matching of the horoscopes of the boy and the girl. If there is matching of more than 50 percent points, then the couple is considered ideal for marriage. Manglik (Mars) Matching : This is also one of the most important aspect of horoscope matching. There must be compatibility of Mars between the male and the female horoscope.
The perfect calculation of all these points requires, accurate and detailed horoscope of both the boy and the girl.