Nakshatra is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a prominent star or asterisms in or near the respective sectors. In essence, a nakshatra simply is a constellation. Every nakshatra is divided into four padas related to the Char Dham, a set of four pilgrimage sites in India.

Hindu astrology, also called Indian astrology, Jyotisha, Jyotish Shastra, and more recently Vedic astrology, is the traditional Hindu system of astrology. It is one of the six auxiliary disciplines in Hinduism that is connected with the study of the Vedas.