Rashi 1 of 12 · Lahiri sidereal
Mesha Rashi (Moon sign)
Mesha is the 1st sign of the sidereal zodiac, 0° to 30°, ruled by Mangal. If the Moon was here when you were born, Mesha is your Moon sign, or rashi, and the sign Indian horoscopes read first.
At a glance
- Degrees
- 0° to 30° of the sidereal zodiac
- Ruling planet
- Mangal
- Element
- fire
- Quality
- movable (chara)
- Symbol
- The ram
- The Sun is here
- 14 Apr to 15 May (2027)
- Western (tropical) sign of the same name
- Aries (tropical, a different measure)
What a Moon in Mesha is like
With Chandra in Mesha the mind is quick, impatient and brave; feelings arrive as action. You recover fast from setbacks and need physical outlets for restlessness.
Mesha is the first sign, and a Moon here wants to act first and think while moving. Fire and movable quality together give quick enthusiasm and quick recovery. Competitive sport, enterprise, emergency work and anything with a clear challenge suit it. The practice that helps most is patience with slower people and slower processes.
Mangal (Mars), the planet of courage and energy, is its lord, and the Sun is exalted here.
Nakshatras in Mesha
Mesha covers 0° to 30° of the sidereal zodiac and contains these nakshatras. The one your Moon was in adds detail and sets where your Vimshottari dasha begins.
Rashi and Sun sign
Your rashi is your Moon sign, the sign the Moon occupied at your birth. The Sun changes sign once a month but the Moon every two and a quarter days, so finding your Moon sign needs your birth time and place. Indian horoscopes read it first: for names, for Kundali Milan and for transits such as Sade Sati.
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, fixed to the stars; Western Sun signs use the tropical zodiac, fixed to the seasons. The two are about 24°14′ apart in October 2026, so for about four people in five the sidereal Sun sign is the one before the Western one.
Mesha in Kundali Milan
Bhakoot Koota (7 points) compares the two Moon signs. It scores 0 when they are 2nd and 12th, 5th and 9th, or 6th and 8th from each other, and 7 otherwise. For a Mesha Moon the pairings that score 0 are with Vrishabha, Meena, Simha, Dhanu, Kanya and Vrishchika. The sign’s ruler, Mangal, is the planet that Graha Maitri (5 points) compares.
Sade Sati for a Mesha Moon
Sade Sati is the stretch of about seven and a half years when Saturn passes through the sign before the Moon sign, the Moon sign itself and the sign after it: for a Mesha Moon, Saturn in Meena, Mesha and Vrishabha. These runs come from Saturn’s sidereal ingresses; they are not a forecast of events.
| Saturn enters Meena | Saturn enters Mesha | Saturn enters Vrishabha | Run ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1995 | April 1998 | June 2000 | April 2003 |
| March 2025 | June 2027 | August 2029 | May 2032 |
Check your own dates with the Sade Sati calculator; it finds your Moon sign from your date of birth.
Questions people ask
What is Mesha rashi?
Mesha is sign 1 of the 12 in the sidereal zodiac, from 0° to 30°. Its symbol is the ram, its element is fire, its quality is movable (chara) and its ruler is Mangal. When the Moon was in this sign at your birth, Mesha is your rashi.
Which nakshatras fall in Mesha?
Ashwini, Bharani and Krittika (pada 1 only) fall in Mesha. Each nakshatra is 13°20′ wide, so a sign holds two and a quarter of them.
Is Mesha rashi the same as Aries?
Not quite. Aries is a tropical sign, measured from the spring equinox, and Western horoscopes use it for the Sun. Mesha is a sidereal sign, measured against the stars, and Vedic astrology uses it mainly for the Moon. The two zodiacs are about 24°14′ apart today, so the labels line up only roughly.
How do I find my Moon sign?
You need your date, time and place of birth. The free kundali on JYOTISH.info calculates the Moon’s sidereal position with the Lahiri ayanamsa and shows your rashi and nakshatra. If you do not know the time, the Moon changes sign during the day on about four days in ten, and the app flags the result as approximate.
How is Mesha used in Kundali Milan?
Bhakoot Koota compares the two Moon signs and scores 0 or 7. For a Mesha Moon the signs that score 0 are Vrishabha, Meena, Simha, Dhanu, Kanya and Vrishchika. Graha Maitri uses the rulers of the two signs; here that is Mangal.
When is Sade Sati for a Mesha Moon?
Sade Sati runs for a Mesha Moon, from Saturn’s entry into Meena to its exit from Vrishabha, fall in these periods: June 1995 to April 2003 and March 2025 to May 2032. Saturn’s retrograde turns can bring it back across a sign boundary for a few months, which the dates allow for.
Every position on this page is calculated sidereal with the Lahiri ayanamsa from the astronomy-engine library (MIT licence). The classical texts describe tendencies; this page is for guidance and reflection, not a verdict, and no outcome is promised. How we calculate. This is the English page and the legal reference. The same page is available in Hindi. Checked October 2026.