Rashi

The 12 rashis (Mesha/Aries, Vrishabha/Taurus, Mithuna/Gemini, Karka/Cancer, Simha/Leo, Kanya/Virgo, Tula/Libra, Vrishchika/Scorpio, Dhanu/Sagittarius, Makara/Capricorn, Kumbha/Aquarius, Meena/Pisces) are the same 12 signs as the Western zodiac but measured against the sidereal (star-based) zodiac instead of the tropical one. Because of the ayanamsha shift, your Vedic rashi is usually one sign earlier than your Western sun sign. Vedic tradition emphasises the moon rashi (chandra rashi) — your moon's sign — far more than the sun sign. Daily horoscopes in India are read by moon rashi, gochar transits are tracked against it, and gun milan compatibility uses it as the primary input.