Jyotish is the oldest system of astrology in the world. It's derived from  the  Sanskrit  word  "jyoti"  which means light.  As the pure light of  scientific knowledge, the word Jyotish implies studying a person's  character,  health,  habits  and  even the future on the basis of his or her birth chart.

In  western  cultures,  it  is  often  referred to as Indian,  Vedic or Hindu astrology.  The awareness about Jyotish can be traced back to the Vedic civilization in northern India.   Jyotish is  a part of the Indian  Vedic   Scriptures,  proof  of which is easily available in the centuries old manuscripts and translations.

Jyotish  is  practiced  by  a  skilled   astrologer  by  calculating   the positions  of the  planets and  other celestial bodies with regard to a person's birth or  happening of an event.   In essence,  it depends on the time, date and place of birth or the event. The results, if calculated accurately, lead to generation of numerous tables and charts that only a skilled astrologer can study and derive useful information from. The rules of  interpretation  of  these  charts  are  also  based on the  study done by ancient sage-scientists. Normally, such a study takes about  10-15 hours  to complete  and  is  followed by  a decision about appropriate remedial actions that can be taken to enhance the person's life.