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The craft behind your reading

How the Agasthiya Nadi leaves are written in Tamil — and deciphered today

The leaves are not notes; they are poetry. Sage Agasthiya Maharishi and the Siddha saints composed each destiny in coded ancient Tamil verse — the paadal and chithiram styles — inscribed with a stylus on dried palm leaf. This page shows what that script looks like, and the reference systems our readers use to decipher it, line by line.

Agasthiya Nadi leaves: palm-leaf manuscripts inscribed in Tamil script

Stylus on palm leaf

The ancient Tamil script of the Agasthiya leaves

The sages did not write in prose. Each leaf carries condensed, symbolic Tamil poetry — layered verse in which a single line can hold meaning about several aspects of a life at once. Reading it is not literacy; it is a discipline, trained over years within the Valluvar reader families.

Using their insight, the sages recorded for each seeker:

Personal identification — name, parents, spouse, birth details
Major life events and their timings
Challenges and obstacles, traced to past karma
The specific remedies prescribed to overcome them

All of it was inscribed with a sharp stylus on dried palm leaves, and the leaves were bundled according to the 108 traditional thumb patterns — right thumb for men, left for women — which is why your search begins with a thumbprint.

From verse to plain language

How the leaves are deciphered today

Thumb impression matching

Your thumbprint locates the correct bundles among thousands at Vaitheeswaran Koil.

Leaf identification

The reader checks the leaves of each bundle against your details — you confirm or deny, never volunteer.

Deciphering the poetry

The ancient Tamil verses are interpreted line by line — condensed poetry, unpacked by trained reading.

Plain explanation

On your live call, everything is explained in simple modern language, with an English translator assisting.

The letters themselves

The Tamil script the leaves are written in

Before the verses can be read, the letters must be known. These are the Tamil letter charts our readers work from — the same script, unchanged, that the sages inscribed with a stylus.

The four classes of Tamil letter, and the sounds each carries in a romanised name. Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

Class	Letters	Base letters	Sounds they carry
Uyir Yezhuthu	அ இ உ ஐ ஒ	—	AEIOU
Yidaiyeenam	ய ர ல வ ழ ள	Y/V/L/Z/R	AYEYIYOYUYHAYHEYHIYHOYHUVAVEVIVOVUVHAVHEVHIVHOVHULALELILOLULHALHELHILHOLHUZHAZHEZHIZHOZHU
Mellinam	ங ஞ ண ந ம ன	M/N	NANENINONUNHANHENHINHONHUMAMEMIMOMUMHAMHEMHIMHOMHU
Vallinam	க ச ட த ப ற	K/C/G/S/J/T/D/P/B/R/H	KACAGACHAGHAKEGECHEGHEKIGICHIGHIKOCOCHOGHOKUCUCHUGHUSASESISOSUSHASHESHISHOSHUTADATHADHATEDETHEDHETIDITHIDHITODOTHODHOTUDUTHUDHUPAPHAPEPHEPIPHIPOPHOPUPHUBABHABEBHEBIBHIBOBHOBUBHURARERIRORURHARHERHIRHORHU

The reader's reference systems

The Tamil tables behind every reading

Dates on the leaves are not written in the Gregorian calendar. They are expressed through the Tamil systems below — which is part of why deciphering them is a trained art.

The Tamil Year — the 60-year cycle

Tamil years run in a repeating cycle of sixty named years. A leaf dates events by the name of the year — the reader converts it to the calendar you know.

The sixty named years, with the Gregorian years each has covered. Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

#	Name	Current cycle	Prior cycle 1	Prior cycle 2
1	Prabhava	1987–1988	1927–1928	1867–1868
2	Vibhava	1988–1989	1928–1929	1868–1869
3	Sukla	1989–1990	1929–1930	1869–1870
4	Pramodaduta	1990–1991	1930–1931	1870–1871
5	Prajapati	1991–1992	1931–1932	1871–1872
6	Angirasa	1992–1993	1932–1933	1872–1873
7	Srimukha	1993–1994	1933–1934	1873–1874
8	Bhava	1994–1995	1934–1935	1874–1875
9	Yuva	1995–1996	1935–1936	1875–1876
10	Dhatru	1996–1997	1936–1937	1876–1877
11	Isvara	1997–1998	1937–1938	1877–1878
12	Bahudhanya	1998–1999	1938–1939	1878–1879
13	Pramathi	1999–2000	1939–1940	1879–1880
14	Vikrama	2000–2001	1940–1941	1880–1881
15	Vrushapraja	2001–2002	1941–1942	1881–1882
16	Chitrabhanu	2002–2003	1942–1943	1882–1883
17	Subhanu	2003–2004	1943–1944	1883–1884
18	Tarana	2004–2005	1944–1945	1884–1885
19	Parthiva	2005–2006	1945–1946	1885–1886
20	Vyaya	2006–2007	1946–1947	1886–1887
21	Sarvajit	2007–2008	1947–1948	1887–1888
22	Sarvadharin	2008–2009	1948–1949	1888–1889
23	Virodhin	2009–2010	1949–1950	1889–1890
24	Vikrti	2010–2011	1950–1951	1890–1891
25	Khara	2011–2012	1951–1952	1891–1892
26	Nandana	2012–2013	1952–1953	1892–1893
27	Vijaya	2013–2014	1953–1954	1893–1894
28	Jaya	2014–2015	1954–1955	1894–1895
29	Manmatha	2015–2016	1955–1956	1895–1896
30	Durmukha	2016–2017	1956–1957	1896–1897
31	Hevilambi	2017–2018	1957–1958	1897–1898
32	Vilambi	2018–2019	1958–1959	1898–1899
33	Vikari	2019–2020	1959–1960	1899–1900
34	Sarvarin	2020–2021	1960–1961	1900–1901
35	Plava	2021–2022	1961–1962	1901–1902
36	Subhakrta	2022–2023	1962–1963	1902–1903
37	Sobhana	2023–2024	1963–1964	1903–1904
38	Krodhin	2024–2025	1964–1965	1904–1905
39	Visvavasu	2025–2026	1965–1966	1905–1906
40	Parabhava	2026–2027	1966–1967	1906–1907
41	Plavanga	2027–2028	1967–1968	1907–1908
42	Kilaka	2028–2029	1968–1969	1908–1909
43	Soumya	2029–2030	1969–1970	1909–1910
44	Sadharana	2030–2031	1970–1971	1910–1911
45	Virodhakrta	2031–2032	1971–1972	1911–1912
46	Paridhavin	2032–2033	1972–1973	1912–1913
47	Pramadin	2033–2034	1973–1974	1913–1914
48	Ananda	2034–2035	1974–1975	1914–1915
49	Raksasa	2035–2036	1975–1976	1915–1916
50	Nala / Anala	2036–2037	1976–1977	1916–1917
51	Pingala	2037–2038	1977–1978	1917–1918
52	Kalayukta	2038–2039	1978–1979	1918–1919
53	Siddharthin	2039–2040	1979–1980	1919–1920
54	Raudra	2040–2041	1980–1981	1920–1921
55	Durmati	2041–2042	1981–1982	1921–1922
56	Dundubhi	2042–2043	1982–1983	1922–1923
57	Rudhirodgarin	2043–2044	1983–1984	1923–1924
58	Raktaksin	2044–2045	1984–1985	1924–1925
59	Krodhana / Manyu	2045–2046	1985–1986	1925–1926
60	Akshaya	2046–2047	1986–1987	1926–1927

The Nakshatras — the 27 birth stars

Each leaf identifies its seeker partly by nakshatra — the birth star. The twenty-seven stars appear on the leaves in their Tamil names.

The twenty-seven birth stars, as the readers name them. Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

#	Sanskrit / Hindi / Telugu	Tamil	Malayalam
1	Aswiniअश्विनिఅశ్విని	Aswiniஅசுவினி	Aswathi
2	Bharaniभरणीభరణి	Bharaniபரணி	Bharani
3	Krithikaकृत्तिकाకృత్తిక	Karthigaiகிருத்திகை	Kaarthika
4	Rohiniरोहिणीరోహిణి	Rohiniரோகிணி	Rohini
5	Mrigashirasम्रृगशीर्षाమృగశిర	Mrigasheershamமிருகசிரீஷம்	Makeeryam
6	Aardhra / Arudra (Telugu)आर्द्राఆరుద్ర	Thiruvaathiraiதிருவாதிரை	Thiruvaathira
7	Punarvasuपुनर्वसुపునర్వసు	Punarpoosamபுனர்பூசம்	Punartham
8	Pushyamiपुष्यపుష్య	Poosamபூசம்	Pooyyam
9	Ashleshaआश्लेषाఆశ్లేష	Aayilyamஆயில்யம்	Aayilyam
10	Magha / Makhaमघाమాఘ	Makamமகம்	Makham
11	P. Phalguni / Poorvaphalguni / Pubba (Telugu)पूर्व फाल्गुनीపూర్వఫల్గుని	Pooramபூரம்	Pooram
12	U. Phalguni / Uthraphalguni / Uttara (Telugu)उत्तर फाल्गुनीఉత్తర ఫల్గుని	Uthiramஉத்திரம்	Uthram
13	Hasthaहस्तహస్త	Hasthamஹஸ்தம்	Atham
14	Chitraचित्राచిత్ర	Chithiraiசித்திரை	Chitra
15	Swaathiस्वातिస్వాతి	Swaathiசுவாதி	Chothi
16	Vishaakhaविशाखाవిశాఖ	Visaakamவிசாகம்	Visaakam
17	Anuraadhaअनुराधाఅనురాధ	Anushamஅனுஷம்	Anizham
18	Jyeshtaज्येष्ठाజ్యేష్ట	Kettaiகேட்டை	Thrikketta
19	Moolaमूलమూలా	Moolamமுலம்	Moolam
20	P. Shada / Poorvashaadaपूर्वाषाढ़ाపూర్వాషాఢ	Pooraadamபூராடம்	Pooraadam
21	U. Shada / Uthrashaadaउत्तराषाढ़ाఉత్తరాషాఢ	Uthiraadamஉத்திராடம்	Uthraadam
22	Shraavanश्रवणశ్రవణ	Thiruvonamதிருவோணம்	Thiruvonam
23	Dhanishtaधनिष्ठाధనిష్ఠ	Avittamஅவிட்டம்	Avittam
24	Shathabhishaशतभिषाశతభిష	Chathayam / Sadayamசதயம்	Chathayam
25	P. Bhadra / Poorvabhadraपूर्वभाद्रపూర్వాభాద్ర	Poorattathiபூரட்டாதி	Poorattadhi
26	U. Bhadra / Uthrabhadraउत्तरभाद्रఉత్తరాభాద్ర	Uthirattathiஉத்திரட்டாதி	Uthrattathi
27	Revathiरेवतीరేవతి	Revathiரேவதி	Revathi

The Tamil Months

Timings within a year are given in the Tamil months — Chithirai through Panguni — each spanning portions of two Gregorian months.

Each Tamil month spans portions of two Gregorian months. Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

#	Tamil month	Gregorian span
1	Chithiraiசித்திரை	14 April – 13 May
2	Vaikaasiவைகாசி	14 May – 14 June
3	Aaniஆனி	15 June – 15 July
4	Aadiஆடி	16 July – 16 August
5	Aavaniஆவணி	17 August – 16 September
6	Purattaasiபுரட்டாசி	17 September – 16 October
7	Aippasiஐப்பசி	17 October – 15 November
8	Karthikaiகார்த்திகை	16 November – 15 December
9	Maargazhiமார்கழி	16 December – 13 January
10	Thaiதை	14 January – 12 February
11	Maasiமாசி	13 February – 13 March
12	Panguniபங்குனி	14 March – 13 April

The Moon Sign — Rashi

The leaf's astrological references use the rashi — the moon sign — in its Tamil name, from Mesham to Meenam.

The twelve moon signs, in the names a leaf uses. Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

#	Hindi	Tamil	English
1	Mesh	மேஷம்	Aries
2	Vrushabh	ரிஷபம்	Taurus
3	Mithun	மிதுனம்	Gemini
4	Kark	கடகம்	Cancer
5	Simha or Sinh	சிம்மம்	Leo
6	Kanya	கன்னி	Virgo
7	Tula	துலாம்	Libra
8	Vrushchik	விருச்சிகம்	Scorpio
9	Dhanu	தனுசு	Sagittarius
10	Makar	மகரம்	Capricorn
11	Kumbha	கும்பம்	Aquarius
12	Meen	மீனம்	Pisces

Older than the question you bring

The sage, the leaves, and how they survived

Nadi astrology — Nadi Jothidam, from the Tamil naadi, "to seek" — is the Tamil tradition of leaf reading: the Siddha sages, foremost among them Shri Agasthiya (Agastya) Muni, are held to have inscribed the destinies of seekers yet to be born, in ancient Tamil verse, stylus on palm leaf. Each leaf carries a life: names, parentage, birth details, and what follows. The Nadi readers themselves, tradition notes, have no leaves of their own — they exist only to read the destinies of others.

The leaves owe their survival to Thanjavur. Under the Maratha court, Maharaja Serfoji II gathered and preserved the bundles in the Saraswathi Mahal Library, treating them with turmeric and oil; during British rule many were taken and dispersed, later auctioned back, and families of the Valluvar community — the tradition's hereditary readers — became their custodians, settling around the temple town of Vaitheeswaran Koil under the watch of Lord Shiva. Those are the readers AstroBhava coordinates with: the leaves have not moved, and neither has the discipline of reading them.

Sage Agasthiya Maharishi, held by tradition to be the author of the Agasthiya Nadi leaves — **Shri Agasthiya Muni**Foremost of the Siddha sages, in whose name these leaves are inscribed

Maharaja Serfoji II of Thanjavur, who by the reader families' account preserved the Agasthiya Nadi palm leaves at the Saraswathi Mahal Library — **Maharaja Serfoji II**Preserver of the bundles at the Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur

For the curious — one tradition, six depths

The formats of Agasthiya Nadi

The Agasthiya Nadi is read in six formats, each fuller than the last — from a single chapter at a time to the whole of a life with its causes and its cures. We name them in that order for your understanding, and we offer only the last of them.

Agasthiya NadiThe root tradition — the leaves of Shri Agasthiya Muni, from which every reading format below descendsThe parent tradition

Agasthiya Thuliya NadiThe chapter-wise format — read canto by canto, a chapter at a time on requestNo longer offered

Agasthiya Maha Thuliya NadiThe extended chapter-wise format, the cantos read at greater length and across separate sittingsNot offered

Agasthiya Sukshama NadiThe detailed reading — the life taken as a whole rather than chapter by chapter, fuller than either Thuliya formatNot offered

Agasthiya Maha Sukshama NadiThe extended detailed reading — the same ground as the Sukshama, gone over at greater depthNot offered

Agasthiya Sukshamathi Sukshama NadiThe subtlest and fullest reading in the tradition — every aspect of life, the karmic causes beneath it, and the remedies the leaf prescribes, in one continuous sittingThe reading we offer — $500

We offered the chapter-wise Thuliya readings for years, and year after year watched most seekers stop at the first chapter: holding a glimpse of what is written, and missing why it was written. Sukshamathi sukshama means the subtlest of the subtle: where the earlier formats tell you what is written, this one goes on to why it was written and what to do about it. The other five formats remain part of the living tradition at Vaitheeswaran Koil, and readers there still give them; ours is simply a decision about what serves the seeker whole.

Now that you know the craft

Ready to search for your leaf?

The complete Agasthiya Sukshamathi Sukshama Nadi reading — one sitting of three to four hours, every aspect of your life and your remedies, read by the hereditary Valluvar readers of Vaitheeswaran Koil. If your leaf is not found, you are refunded in full.

The Complete Reading · $500 → Or WhatsApp us with your questions