People born in Chitra nakshatra

Chitra, the brilliant, is traditionally the nakshatra of beauty and design - of people with an eye for form and the energy to create.

A nakshatra has four quarters, called padas. Part of Chitra lies in Kanya and part in Tula, so a person born in Chitra has Kanya or Tula as their Moon sign depending on the pada; the kundali shows which.

The story in the sky

Chitra's deity is Vishwakarma, the architect of the gods. The Puranas credit him with the golden city of Lanka, the palaces of the heavens, and Dwarka, the city Krishna asked for by the sea, raised, the story goes, in a single night. Workshops across India still keep Vishwakarma Puja, when tools and machines are cleaned, garlanded and rested for a day. Tradition sees the divine craftsman in Chitra people: an eye for beauty and design, pride in good workmanship, and the energy to turn an idea into something others can see and use.

What the name holds

Chitra means 'the bright one' and also 'a picture', and its symbol is a shining jewel, the image of brilliance and fine, patient craftsmanship. Tradition gives each quarter (pada) of the nakshatra its own syllable for beginning a child's name, and the quarter the Moon stood in at birth chooses it: पे (pe), पो (po), रा (ra) or री (ri).

Nature

People born with the Moon in Chitra are said to be stylish, creative and full of energy. Mars, its ruling planet, gives drive, courage and a wish to see their ideas take shape. Chitra spans Kanya and Tula, so some have more of Kanya's precision and others more of Tula's grace and sociability.

Strengths

They have an artist's eye and a builder's determination, and many shine in design, architecture, fashion, engineering or any field where beauty and skill meet. They are confident, charming and good at presenting themselves and their work. They like to do things well and leave something of value behind. Their enthusiasm can inspire a whole family to take on a new project.

In family and marriage

At home they love to make the house beautiful and well arranged. They are lively, generous and proud of their family. Their high standards and strong opinions can sometimes make them impatient with others' ways of doing things, so a little tolerance helps the household feel appreciated rather than corrected.

The partner who suits them

A partner who appreciates beauty, enjoys social life and admires their creative side tends to suit them, someone confident in their own right who can be both companion and admirer. They value loyalty, attention and shared ambitions. With a spouse who gives them both freedom and steady affection, they bring colour, energy and devotion into a marriage.

In kundali matching

Chitra is Rakshasa gana and Madhya nadi, and its yoni animal is the tiger. In a match these are set against the partner's nakshatra: a partner who is also Madhya nadi brings Nadi dosha; a partner of Deva or Manushya gana brings Gana dosha, while another Rakshasa does not; and Yoni compares the two animals. Other features of the two kundalis can cancel a dosha, so no nakshatra makes a match good or bad on its own. How kundali matching works explains the whole reading.

Related guides

• How kundali matching worksWhere the gunas and Manglik come from, and how to read the result
• How many gunas should match?The 18-guna mark, what a total means, and the four answers the Gun Milan app gives
• Manglik doshaWhat being Manglik means, and which pairings suit
• Nadi doshaHealth and children: the heaviest koota, and when its dosha is cancelled
• The 27 nakshatrasThe nature and story of the people of each birth star, and the partner they suit
• The 12 rashisWhat the people of each Moon sign are like, at home and in marriage