Indian Family Tree Glossary

A reference guide to key Indian family, genealogy, and Hindu cultural terms used in Vamshavriksha and Indian family tree research. Each term is defined clearly for quick reference.

What Does Vamshavriksha Mean?

Vamshavriksha is a Sanskrit term meaning “family tree.”Vamsha means lineage or dynasty, and vriksha means tree. In modern usage, vamshavriksha refers to the complete genealogical record of a family. The platform Vamshavriksha is named after this concept.

What Is Gothram (Gotra)?

Gothram (also spelled gotra) is a clan or lineage identifier in Hindu tradition, tracing patrilineal descent from ancient sages (rishis). Gotra is important in Hindu marriages — traditionally, marriages within the same gotra are avoided. Common gotras include Bharadwaja, Kashyapa, Vasishta, and Vishwamitra. There are eight primary gotras, with many sub-gotras.

On Vamshavriksha, you can record each member's gothram and search by gotra across trees. See the Gothram Finder.

What Is Nakshatra (Birth Star)?

Nakshatra is a birth star or lunar mansion in Vedic astrology. There are 27 nakshatras, each spanning 13 degrees and 20 minutes of the ecliptic. A person's nakshatra is determined by the Moon's position at the time of birth. Nakshatras are used for naming ceremonies (the first syllable of a name is often derived from the nakshatra), horoscope matching (star matching or kundali matching), and determining auspicious dates.

On Vamshavriksha, you can record each member's nakshatra. See the Nakshatra Calculator.

What Is Panchangam?

Panchangam is a Hindu almanac or calendar that tracks five (pancha) elements (anga): tithi (lunar day), vara (weekday), nakshatra (lunar mansion), yoga, and karana. The panchangam is used to determine auspicious times (muhurtham) for ceremonies, festivals, fasting days, and daily activities.

Vamshavriksha includes a built-in panchangam that shows today's tithi, nakshatra, yoga, karana, sunrise, sunset, and upcoming Ekadashi, Purnima, and Amavasya dates.

What Is Tithi?

Tithi is a lunar day in the Hindu calendar. There are 30 tithis in a lunar month — 15 in the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) and 15 in the waning phase (Krishna Paksha). Important tithis include Ekadashi (11th day, considered auspicious for fasting), Purnima (full moon), and Amavasya (new moon).

What Is Yoga in Panchangam?

Yoga is one of the five elements of the panchangam. There are 27 yogas, calculated from the combined longitudes of the Sun and Moon. Each yoga has specific characteristics that influence the auspiciousness of a time period. For example, Siddha yoga and Amrita yoga are considered highly favorable.

What Is Karana?

Karana is half of a tithi. There are 11 karanas, with each tithi containing two karanas. Karanas are used in muhurtham calculations to determine favorable times for specific activities like travel, ceremonies, and business dealings.

What Is Rashi (Moon Sign)?

Rashi is the Hindu zodiac sign, also called the Moon sign. Unlike Western astrology which uses the Sun sign, Hindu astrology primarily uses the Moon's position. There are 12 rashis: Mesha (Aries), Vrishabha (Taurus), Mithuna (Gemini), Karka (Cancer), Simha (Leo), Kanya (Virgo), Tula (Libra), Vrischika (Scorpio), Dhanu (Sagittarius), Makara (Capricorn), Kumbha (Aquarius), and Meena (Pisces).

On Vamshavriksha, you can record each member's rashi in the “More Details” section of their profile.

What Is Moolasthanam?

Moolasthanam means the ancestral village or place of origin of a family. In South Indian tradition especially, moolasthanam refers to the village where a family's roots lie — often the location of the family deity (kuldevta) temple. Recording the moolasthanam helps preserve the connection to ancestral lands across generations.

What Is Vanshavali?

Vanshavali is a genealogical record or family lineage chart, especially common in North Indian tradition. The word literally means the sequence (avali) of the lineage (vansha). Historically, vanshavalis were maintained by pandits (Pandas) at pilgrimage sites like Haridwar, where families would register births, deaths, and marriages during visits.

What Is Kuldevta (Family Deity)?

Kuldevta (or kuladevata) is the family deity or clan god/goddess worshipped by a particular family or lineage. Kuldevta worship is passed down through generations and is an important part of family identity in Hindu tradition. The kuldevta temple is often located in the family's moolasthanam (ancestral village). Common kuldevtas include various forms of Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi.

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