Marriage Biodata Glossary — Gotra, Manglik, Nakshatra & Every Term Explained

Every first-time biodata maker hits the same wall: the form asks for Gotra, Rashi, Nakshatra or Manglik status, and nobody at home can explain all of them precisely. This glossary defines every traditional marriage biodata term in plain language, so you can fill each field confidently — or decide, with your family, to leave it out. Definitions follow common usage across Indian communities; your community's practice is the final word.

Astrological terms (Kundli fields)

These fields come from the janma kundli (birth horoscope) and are used by families and pandits for gun-milan — the traditional compatibility count out of 36 gunas. You need your exact birth date, time and place to derive them; our maker can auto-fill Gan, Nadi and Rashi once you pick your Nakshatra.

• Kundli / Janma Patrika — the birth horoscope chart prepared from date, time and place of birth. Some families exchange full kundlis; a biodata usually carries only the summary fields below.
• Rashi — the moon sign: the zodiac sign the Moon occupied at birth (Mesh/Aries through Meen/Pisces). Different from the Western sun sign.
• Nakshatra — the birth star: one of 27 lunar constellations (e.g. Rohini, Ashwini, Revati). The single most-used field for horoscope matching.
• Charan / Pada — the quarter (1–4) of the Nakshatra; refines matching and first-letter naming traditions.
• Gan — a threefold temperament classification derived from Nakshatra: Dev (divine), Manushya (human), Rakshasa (fierce). Used in gun-milan.
• Nadi — a threefold classification (Adi, Madhya, Antya) derived from Nakshatra. Same-Nadi matches score a "Nadi dosha" in traditional matching, which many families weigh heavily.
• Manglik / Mangal Dosha — Mars placed in certain houses of the kundli. Tradition prefers Manglik-to-Manglik matches; many biodatas state "Manglik", "Non-Manglik" or "Anshik (partial) Manglik".

Family and lineage terms

Indian biodatas describe the family as much as the individual — these fields tell the other family where you come from.

• Gotra — paternal lineage traced to a rishi (sage) ancestor. Usually known to grandparents or your family priest; it does not appear on any government document. Same-gotra marriages are traditionally avoided in many Hindu communities.
• Kul (Marathi) — the family clan; central in Maratha, Deshastha, Kokanastha and other Maharashtrian communities.
• Kuldevi / Kuldevta — the family deity (e.g. Tuljabhavani, Khandoba, Ambabai). Marathi and Gujarati families often list it; some match on it.
• Mosal (Gujarati) — the maternal grandfather's family/village; a standard field in Gujarati biodatas.
• Caste / Sub-caste (Jati) — community identification (e.g. Brahmin – Deshastha, Maratha – 96 Kuli, Agarwal – Garg). Expected in most traditional biodatas; optional in modern ones.
• Samaj — the community association (e.g. Kutchi Visa Oswal, Leva Patel); common in Gujarati and Rajasthani biodatas.
• Family status — customary phrases: "middle class", "upper middle class", "business family", "service family". Signals lifestyle compatibility, not net worth.

Muslim biodata terms

Muslim marriage biodatas carry their own vocabulary. Common fields:

• Sect — Sunni or Shia; often with school (Maslak) such as Hanafi, or community such as Bohra, Khoja, Memon.
• Syed / non-Syed — lineage claim of descent from the Prophet's family; some families match on it.
• Deen / religious practice — how observant the person is (namaz, hijab, etc.); phrased as "religious", "moderate" or described in a line.
• Nikah — the Islamic marriage contract; a Muslim matrimonial biodata is shared ahead of Nikah discussions.

Sikh biodata terms

Fields specific to Sikh matrimonial biodatas:

• Amritdhari — initiated (baptised) Sikh who maintains the five Ks; families often state Amritdhari / Sehajdhari status.
• Keshdhari — keeps uncut hair (kesh); "turbaned / clean-shaven" is a related customary line.
• Got (Punjabi) — the clan name, equivalent to Gotra; same-got matches are traditionally avoided.
• Anand Karaj — the Sikh wedding ceremony; a biodata may note preference for Anand Karaj at a Gurdwara.

Personal-detail conventions

Some biodata phrasing is conventional rather than literal — knowing the convention helps you write (and read) it correctly.

• Complexion — customary ladder: "Very fair / Fair / Wheatish / Wheatish brown / Dark". "Wheatish" (gehunwala rang) is the most common self-description. Include it if your community expects it; skip it if your family prefers not to.
• Height — always in feet-inches (5'7"), not centimetres.
• Annual income / Package — stated in lakhs per annum (e.g. "12 LPA"). Optional; many families state the designation and company instead.
• NRI status — country + visa/residency stage (e.g. "USA — H1B", "Canada PR", "UK — settled"). Critical field for overseas matches; state it precisely.
• Second marriage / Divorcee — customary honest phrasings: "Divorced (no children)", "Widower", "Awaiting divorce decree". Clarity here prevents wasted meetings.

Quick reference table

One-line meanings for fast lookup:

Do you have to include all of these?

No. A biodata is a family introduction, not a government form. The practical rule: include every field the families you are approaching will ask about anyway (leaving them blank invites a phone call), and omit fields your community genuinely does not use. Our biodata maker keeps every one of these fields optional, auto-fills Gan, Nadi and Rashi from your Nakshatra, and lets you add custom fields for anything community-specific we have not listed.