Quick answer
Lal Kitab (also written Lalkitab, “the red book”) is a system of Astrology and palmistry from a series of five books written in Urdu and published in Punjab between 1939 and 1952, usually attributed to Pandit Roop Chand Joshi. It uses a simplified kundli in which the houses are fixed to the signs, an annual chart called the varshphal, and is best known for its simple, low-cost remedies (upay).
In this article
Why so many families swear by Lal Kitab
Mention Lal Kitab in a north Indian household and someone will usually have a story: a grandmother who fed crows every Saturday, an uncle who kept a silver square in his wallet, or a friend who floated something in a river for 43 days before an exam. It’s astrology that ordinary families actually practise at home.
Part of the appeal is how down to earth it is. Where other systems may recommend expensive gemstones or long rituals, Lal Kitab’s remedies are usually small acts that cost little or nothing. This article explains where the system comes from, how its charts work, and how to approach its remedies sensibly.
The Lal Kitab books
The Lal Kitab is not one book but five editions published between 1939 and 1952. The 1952 edition is the most complete and is the one most practitioners refer to. The books combine Astrology with samudrik shastra (palmistry and body reading), and many of their rules are written as short verses. Modern Lal Kitab books, and the Lalkitab kundli and varshphal chart tools you find online, are mostly translations and interpretations of these editions.
Because the originals are in Urdu and written in a compact, poetic style, translations vary. Two Lal Kitab books on the same shelf can explain the same rule differently, which is worth knowing before you treat any one of them as final.
How a Lal Kitab kundli works
A Lal Kitab kundli (or kundali) starts from an ordinary Vedic birth chart, but reads it differently:
- The houses are fixed to the signs: the first house is always treated as Aries, the second as Taurus, and so on to the twelfth house as Pisces.
- Planets are read by the house they occupy, rather than by the sign of the ascendant.
- Each planet has a “pakka ghar”, a permanent house where it is considered at home, and planets are judged as sleeping, awake, strong or weak by their placement.
Because the houses are fixed, a Lal Kitab chart is quick to read once the planets’ houses are known. It still needs the exact time and place of birth. Read about the 12 houses and kundli basics.
Lal Kitab varshphal (annual chart)
The varshphal is a chart for each year of life. Instead of casting a new chart for every birthday, Lal Kitab moves the planets of the birth chart into new houses using a fixed table based on age. The varshphal chart for a year shows which areas of life are emphasised that year and which remedies may be suggested for it.
This is why a Lal Kitab practitioner may suggest a remedy “for this year only”. The same placement can call for a remedy at 32 and none at 33, because the varshphal has shifted the planets around.
Lal Kitab remedies
Lal Kitab is best known for its remedies (upay), which are simple, everyday acts rather than costly rituals or gemstones: feeding animals or birds, donating particular items, keeping or floating certain objects in flowing water, and changes in conduct, such as respecting elders. A few general guidelines usually come with them:
- A remedy is usually done for 40 or 43 days in a row.
- Remedies are done in daylight, and one at a time.
- A remedy is chosen for a specific placement in your chart, not taken from a general list.
As with any remedy, be wary of anyone who uses fear or asks for large payments. Numerology offers a similar practical approach through the numbers you can change; see missing numbers in the Lo Shu Grid.
Doing remedies sensibly
Lal Kitab remedies are simple, but a little care goes a long way:
- Don’t pick remedies from social media lists. A remedy that suits one placement can be pointless or even counter-productive for another, in Lal Kitab’s own logic.
- Keep it kind and safe. Feeding animals is fine; anything that harms animals, wastes food or pollutes water goes against the spirit of the system.
- If you miss a day in a 43-day remedy, practitioners usually advise starting the count again.
- Keep notes on when you started and what you did. It helps if you later consult someone.
- Remedies support your own effort. They don’t replace studying for the exam, seeing a doctor or doing the work.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Lal Kitab?
The five Lal Kitab editions (1939 to 1952) are usually attributed to Pandit Roop Chand Joshi of Punjab. They were written in Urdu.
How is Lal Kitab different from Vedic Astrology?
Lal Kitab fixes the houses to the signs, with the first house always treated as Aries, reads planets by house, uses its own annual chart (varshphal), and recommends simple, low-cost remedies instead of elaborate rituals or gemstones.
How long should a Lal Kitab remedy be done?
Usually for 40 or 43 consecutive days, in daylight, and one remedy at a time.
Do I need my birth time for a Lal Kitab kundli?
Yes. Like a Vedic chart, a Lal Kitab kundli needs your date, time and place of birth. Numerology needs only your date of birth.
Can I do more than one Lal Kitab remedy at a time?
The usual guidance is one remedy at a time, so that each can work and you can tell what made a difference.