10 Porutham vs 12 Porutham: Tamil, Kerala and North Indian Systems

A couple checks their compatibility on three websites. The first gives 7 out of 10. The second gives 24 out of 36. The third says the porutham is fine but warns of Rajju dosham. Three answers, one couple, and no explanation of why they disagree.

This is not a glitch. Tamil Nadu, Kerala and North India use related but different systems. Once you understand the differences, the conflicting numbers stop looking like a conspiracy and start looking like what they are: different checklists.

The three systems at a glance

All three compare the moon-based chart. None uses sun signs. But the lists and weightings differ enough that the results cannot be converted.

The Tamil 10

The standard Tamil list is:

1. Dina
2. Gana
3. Mahendra
4. Stree Deergha
5. Yoni
6. Rasi
7. Rasiyadhipathi
8. Vasya
9. Maithuna
10. Nadi

Each is rated Uthamam, Madhyamam or Adhamam, and the total is out of 10. The system is oriented around family life, progeny, health and temperament. The full 10-porutham guide covers each one.

The Kerala 12

Kerala practice commonly adds two checks:

Rajju. Nakshatras are grouped by the part of the body they are said to govern, such as the head, neck, navel, thighs and feet. If both partners fall in the same group, it is called Rajju dosham. Kerala astrologers weight this heavily, often more than Nadi. It is associated with the longevity of the husband and the stability of the marriage.

Vedha. Certain nakshatra pairs are considered to "pierce" each other. If the bride's and groom's stars form a Vedha pair, the match is traditionally discouraged. The specific pairs are listed in panchangams; the principle is obstruction rather than temperament.

Some Tamil panchangams include Rajju as an eleventh check, and some substitute it for Maithuna. That is why a Tamil family and a Kerala family can compare the same couple and reach different conclusions.

The North Indian 8

Guna milan scores eight factors out of 36:

• Varna 1
• Vashya 2
• Tara 3
• Yoni 4
• Graha Maitri 5
• Gana 6
• Bhakoot 7
• Nadi 8

There is no Rajju in the standard 36-point system. That alone explains a common disagreement: a couple can score 28/36 in guna milan and still be flagged for Rajju dosham in Kerala.

Why the numbers cannot be converted

People often try to map 7/10 to a number out of 36. It does not work.

• The Tamil list has ten items; the North Indian list has eight.
• The weights differ. Nadi is 8 points in guna milan but one of ten in Tamil scoring.
• Rajju is absent from one system and dominant in another.
• Maithuna appears in Tamil lists but has no direct equivalent in the 36-point system.
• The underlying nakshatra rules overlap, but the pass/fail thresholds do not.

A 7/10 and a 25/36 may describe the same couple. Neither is "more correct". They answer slightly different questions.

So which system is authoritative?

There is no single authority that overrides the others. Practice depends on region, family tradition and the panchangam the astrologer uses.

What you should expect is consistency and transparency:

• The astrologer states which list they use.
• They name the panchangam and ayanamsa.
• They show the item-by-item result.
• They explain any dosha, including Rajju if they use it.
• They do not present one system's score as if it were universal.

A report that says "porutham 7/10" without saying which ten is only half a report.

What to do when the systems disagree

Start with the factors that all three systems share: Nadi, Gana, Rasi or Bhakoot, and Yoni. If those are consistent, you have a reliable core. The disagreement is usually in the add-ons: Rajju, Vedha, Maithuna, Stree Deergha.

Then ask:

1. Is Rajju dosham present? If the family follows Kerala practice, this matters. If it is a Tamil family using a 10-porutham panchangam, it may not be part of the reading.

2. Is Nadi or Bhakoot failing? These are heavy in every system. A failure here deserves attention regardless of the total.

3. Is there a dosha cancellation? Chevvai and Naga dosham sit outside all three scoring systems. They need a separate check.

4. Is the birth time reliable? A wrong time can change the nakshatra and produce a different result in every system simultaneously.

5. What does a second astrologer say? Not a second website. A person who can explain the method.

A worked example

A Tamil bride and a Malayali groom run their charts.

• Tamil 10-porutham tool: 7/10.
• Kerala 12-porutham reading: Rajju dosham present, Vedha clear.
• North Indian guna milan: 26/36.

The Tamil tool did not include Rajju. The Kerala reading did. The guna milan score is high because Nadi and Bhakoot are intact.

None of these results is wrong. The question is which tradition the families follow and what the astrologer weights. If the groom's family follows Kerala practice, Rajju cannot be dismissed just because the Tamil tool ignored it. If both families follow Tamil practice, Rajju may be informative but not decisive.

The useful next step is a single reading that states its method, covers the shared factors, and addresses Rajju explicitly. That is more valuable than collecting more scores.

Common myths about the 10 vs 12 question

"12 porutham is the original; 10 is a shortened version." The historical relationship is not that simple. Regional traditions developed different lists; neither is a corruption of the other.

"Rajju dosham is superstition; Tamil astrologers ignore it." Some do; some include it. It is a recognised Kerala criterion, and many Tamil panchangams mention it.

"If one system passes, the marriage is safe." No system covers Chevvai dosham, Naga dosham, the 7th house or dasha timing. A pass is not a clearance.

"A higher number always means a better match." Only within the same system. Across systems, the numbers are not comparable.

Where to start

If you have both birth details, run the Tamil 10-porutham calculation and read the item-by-item result. If your family follows Kerala practice, ask specifically about Rajju and Vedha. If you have a 36-point score from another site, read what the 36 points mean before comparing.

The goal is not to find the highest number. It is to understand which checklist applies to your family, what it says, and what it leaves out.