What is Lahiri Ayanamsa?
Short guide to Lahiri ayanamsa: the sidereal correction used in Indian ephemerides so tropical planetary longitudes align with the Vedic zodiac.
Tropical vs sidereal zodiac
Western astrology often uses the tropical zodiac (fixed to seasons). Vedic astrology typically uses the sidereal zodiac, tied to the fixed stars, with an offset from tropical called ayanamsa.
Lahiri ayanamsa
Lahiri ayanamsa is the official ayanamsa used in India’s national panchang (Rashtriya Panchang) and is widely used in software and almanacs.
Our birth chart, matching, and Panchang-related calculations use Lahiri unless stated otherwise, so results stay comparable to common Indian panchangs.