What is Gana Porutham?
Gana Porutham (கணப் பொருத்தம்) looks at temperament — the natural disposition each person brings into a marriage. In traditional astrology, every birth star belongs to one of three ganas, or groups, and the gana describes a broad kind of nature.
The idea is simple: two people with compatible natures are more likely to understand each other, handle disagreements calmly and build a peaceful home. On Manavizha this porutham is labelled "Gana Porutham (Temperament)".
The three ganas
The names can sound dramatic, but they are best understood as temperament types, not judgements of character. Every gana has strengths.
- Deva gana (தேவ கணம்) — gentle, idealistic, generous and inclined towards harmony.
- Manushya gana (மனுஷ கணம்) — practical, balanced and family-minded; the "human" middle path.
- Rakshasa gana (ராட்சச கணம்) — strong-willed, independent, direct and energetic.
Which stars belong to which gana
Each gana has nine stars. Tamil names are given first, with the Sanskrit name in brackets.
- Deva gana: Ashwini, Mirugasiridam (Mrigashira), Punarpoosam (Punarvasu), Pusam (Pushya), Hastham (Hasta), Swathi, Anusham (Anuradha), Thiruvonam (Shravana), Revathi.
- Manushya gana: Bharani, Rohini, Thiruvadhirai (Ardra), Puram (Purva Phalguni), Uthiram (Uttara Phalguni), Puradam (Purva Ashadha), Uthiradam (Uttara Ashadha), Purattadhi (Purva Bhadrapada), Uthirattadhi (Uttara Bhadrapada).
- Rakshasa gana: Karthigai (Krithika), Ayilyam (Ashlesha), Magam (Magha), Chithirai (Chitra), Visagam (Vishakha), Kettai (Jyeshtha), Moolam (Mula), Avittam (Dhanishta), Sadhayam (Shatabhisha).
How Gana Porutham is calculated
Find the gana of the bride's star and the gana of the groom's star, then compare them. Manavizha's matching uses these rules:
- Same gana for both (Deva–Deva, Manushya–Manushya or Rakshasa–Rakshasa): matches.
- Deva with Manushya, in either direction: matches.
- Rakshasa with Deva or with Manushya, in either direction: does not match.
Where traditions differ
Gana is one of the poruthams where astrologers follow noticeably different rules, so it helps to know the variations.
Some traditions read Gana by whose star is which. For example, a few accept a Rakshasa-gana groom with a Deva or Manushya bride, but not the reverse. Others relax the Rakshasa rule when the two stars are far apart in the count, or when the rasi lords are friendly.
Manavizha's automatic check follows the simpler, stricter rule above, which treats any Rakshasa pairing with another gana as a mismatch. If your family astrologer follows a more lenient rule, their reading may differ from the score you see.
Worked examples
Example 1: The bride is Rohini (Manushya) and the groom is Hastham (Deva). Deva with Manushya is accepted, so Gana Porutham matches.
Example 2: The bride is Magam (Rakshasa) and the groom is Moolam (Rakshasa). Both share the same gana, so it matches.
Example 3: The bride is Revathi (Deva) and the groom is Kettai (Rakshasa). Under Manavizha's rule this is a mismatch. Some astrologers would look further at the star distance and other factors before deciding.
Keeping it in perspective
Gana describes temperament in very broad strokes. Two people of any gana can build a happy marriage through respect, patience and shared values. Astrologers read Gana together with the other nine poruthams, and many give greater weight to Rajju and Vedha.
Manavizha shows Gana Porutham as part of the porutham breakdown on each profile, as guidance for your family's discussion.
Gana at a glance
With three ganas there are only six possible combinations. Here is how Manavizha's check reads each one:
- Deva and Deva: matches
- Manushya and Manushya: matches
- Rakshasa and Rakshasa: matches
- Deva and Manushya: matches
- Deva and Rakshasa: does not match
- Manushya and Rakshasa: does not match
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rakshasa gana a bad sign?
- No. Rakshasa gana describes a strong, independent temperament. It only matters in matching because some temperament pairings are traditionally considered harder to balance.
- Is Gana the same as Gana Koota in North Indian matching?
- It uses the same three ganas. North Indian Ashtakoota gives it a points score, while Tamil matching usually reads it as matched or not.
- Can a Gana mismatch be overlooked?
- Many families do go ahead when the other key poruthams are strong. It is best decided with your astrologer, who will look at the whole horoscope.