Nakshatra 14 of 27 · चित्रा
Chitra nakshatra
Chitra (चित्रा) is the 14th of the 27 nakshatras, spanning 23°20′–30°00′ Kanya and 0°00′–6°40′ Tula. Ruled by Mars with vishvakarman (the divine architect) as presiding deity, it is a Tender (Mridu) mansion — classically suited to gentle ceremonies.
Chitra at a glance
| Sanskrit name | Chitra (चित्रा) |
|---|---|
| Presiding deity | Vishvakarman (the divine architect) |
| Symbol | A bright jewel / pearl |
| Vimshottari lord | Mars (Mangala) |
| Gana | Rakshasa gana |
| Saptadha class | Tender (Mridu) |
| Moon-sign rashi | Kanya (Virgo) 23°20′–30°00′ KanyaTula (Libra) 0°00′–6°40′ Tula |
| Naming syllables | Pe, Po, Ra, Ree — one per pada, for the namakarana (naming) rite |
The character of Chitra
Chitra, the brilliant one, is the single bright star Spica — the jewel of the celestial architect Vishvakarman. Mridu (tender) by class, it favours beauty and design: building, ornament, the arts, and the graceful ceremonies of life.
The four padas of Chitra
Each nakshatra divides into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. The pada fixes the navamsa rashi — the finer layer a birth chart reads — and the traditional naming syllable for a child born under it.
| Pada | Navamsa rashi | Naming syllable |
|---|---|---|
| Pada 1 | Simha (Leo) | Pe |
| Pada 2 | Kanya (Virgo) | Po |
| Pada 3 | Tula (Libra) | Ra |
| Pada 4 | Vrishchika (Scorpio) | Ree |
What Chitra is classically suited for
In the seven-fold (Saptadha) classification, Chitra is a Tender (Mridu) mansion. The muhurta classics assign it:
gentle ceremonies — marriage, music and the arts, new clothes, friendships, auspicious samskaras.
This class is the first screen Bela applies to every muhurat date: the day's nakshatra must suit the activity before the finer rules (tithi, yoga, choghadiya, Rahu Kaal) are even checked. See it working on the muhurat date lists, where every date shows its nakshatra-suitability rule.
Chitra days — August–September 2026
Days in the current Delhi panchang window whose sunrise nakshatra is Chitra:
- 17 August 2026
- 14 September 2026
Sunrise nakshatra is the classical day convention; exact end times are on the Delhi panchang. Tara Bala — whether Chitra supports your birth star — is computed per profile in the Bela app.