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What is Lagna?

Lagna is the Sanskrit name for the ascendant: the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment you were born.

Why the ascendant matters

In Vedic astrology the Lagna is the first house of the birth chart. Every other house is counted from it, so it shapes how the whole chart is read. Traditionally it describes your outlook, temperament and the way you meet the world.

Why birth time and place matter

As the Earth turns, a new sign rises roughly every two hours. A difference of a few minutes can change the ascendant when a birth falls near the edge of a sign. That is why a calculation needs your local birth time and the place you were born.

How Vedic and Western ascendants differ

Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, aligned with the fixed stars, while Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac. Today the two differ by about 24 degrees, the ayanamsa, so your Vedic ascendant is often one sign earlier than your Western rising sign. VendaNorth uses the widely adopted Lahiri ayanamsa.