Many astrologers would love to know the correct birth time of J.K. Rowling. I have used the Vimshottari Dasha system, or 120-year cycle of planetary periods, and the wonders of modern technology in the form of a computer program that generates birth charts, to arrive at what seems a plausible time of birth for Ms. Rowling, by comparing the timeline of her life events with the dates given by the Dasha system. This is a tool, called birth time rectification, which Vedic astrologers can use when someone is unsure of their exact time of birth.

The story of Joanne Kathleen Rowling certainly is of the Cinderella variety. Born to working class parents in Gloucestershire, England in 1965, Joanne showed an early propensity for writing and storytelling. She seemed to have a normal childhood and schooling experience, showing a fondness for reading and prowess in education. After secondary school, Joanne attended Exeter University where she studied French and classics. After some years in the workforce as a teacher and secretary, and after a short relationship that produced her daughter Jessica, Joanne found herself a single mother, writing down the story of Harry Potter at a café while her infant daughter napped, living in relative poverty. After much hard work, her story was published, and, needless to say, well received. Harry Potter has accompanied J.K. Rowling all the way to utter fame and wealth. Her story shows the dazzling outcome of hard work and perseverance, as well as the beauty of becoming successful by doing what comes naturally.

Given the above birth chart, J.K. Rowling has her Ascendant in the Mercury ruled sign of Virgo, in the lunar mansion of Hasta, which is ruled by the Moon. This combination of the Moon and Mercury's energy lends the Hasta individual a natural propensity for commerce and communication. Hasta endows its natives with eloquence in speech, and an entertaining and likeable personality. This Ascendant gives an industrious and hard-working nature that enables one to reach their goals. It can also indicate difficulty in early life. Mars is also located in Virgo, further lending his power and drive to the already industrious personality. Mars rules the 3rd house of motivation and will, showing an inherent desire to work hard at reaching the goal of creating stories and communicating. Mars also rules the 8th house, which I associate with a penetrating imagination.

Virgo on the Ascendant places the 10th house in Gemini, another sign ruled by Mercury. This is a classic placement for someone skilled in the art of writing and communicating. Mercury, as Lord of the Ascendant, and 10th house of career is placed in the 12th house in the sign of Leo. While normally a difficult house, which shows loss and confinement, as well as spiritual liberation, I see the 12th house as the domain of fantasy. Mercury joins two other planets in the 12th: the new, but waxing, Moon and Venus. Venus is a strong planet in this chart, which benefits the 12th house and the other planets located therein. Venus rules the 2nd house of material resources as well as the 9th house of grace, fortune, and philosophy. This makes Venus an indicator of wealth in this chart.

Although this wealth oriented planet in the 12th at first glance may indicate actual loss of fortune, it behooves us to look at what is going on in the 9th house, owned by Venus due to her rulership of Taurus. Jupiter, the great benefic planet and indicator of wealth is located here in the house of fortune along with Rahu, the north node of the Moon. Rahu is a significator of fame, and placed in the 9th house with Jupiter shows the potential for wealth and recognition. These two planets from this position aspect the Ascendant, further boosting the personality and also the 5th house of creativity and karmic benefits. This powerful combination seems to counterbalance any indications of loss shown by Venus in the 12th. Another balancing factor is that the Lord of the 12th house of loss, the Sun, is posited in the 11th house of gain. This shows almost a textbook case of "the flow," by illustrating the loss, death, or letting go that is necessary for anyone to move forward and grow.

The Moon ruled the major period that ran from 1972-1982, when Rowling was 7-17 years of age. This cycle of loss and gain may have been prominent during her school years. The Moon is just past new in her chart, in the lunar mansion of Purva Phalguni. Venus is also located in Purva Phalguni, a lunar mansion that it rules. This lends some strength to the new Moon and shows creative intelligence, sweet speech, and a love of drama as well as travel. During the Moon major/Sun minor period, the last of the Moon major cycle, Joanne's mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Her next major period ran from 1982-1989 and was ruled by Mars. In 1982 (Mars major/Rahu minor) Joanne became Head Girl at her school, tasting her first draught of Rahu's fame. In 1983, she began attending Exeter. In 1985 she spent a year in Paris as a teaching assistant for part of her degree, during the Mercury minor period. Joanne graduated in 1987 (Venus minor), and went on to work briefly for Amnesty International, writing and conceiving of novels in her spare time. Her next gig was an unfulfilling secretarial job at which she used the computer to type her stories during the final two minor periods (Sun and Moon) of the Mars major period. The combination of hard work and ambition to fulfill personal desires in the realm of writing are shown throughout the Mars major period.

The next major period, and the current one for Ms. Rowling, is that of Rahu. The rise to fame that is shown in her chart has certainly happened. It was during the Rahu major/Rahu minor period from 1989-1882 that Harry Potter was conceived. By the author's description, Harry "strode fully formed" into her head on a London train in 1990. She immediately began to create his world around him. During this time, Joanne's mother passed away. In 1991, she traveled to Portugal to teach English. Rahu indicates foreign lands and people. She reportedly wrote ten different first chapters for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone during this time.

In late 1991, J.K. Rowling entered her Rahu major/Jupiter minor period. The seed that became the Harry Potter phenomenon, sown during the Rahu/Rahu period, and destined to grow into the fame and fortune that the Rahu and Jupiter conjunction in Taurus in the 9th house indicates in her chart was nurtured during this new minor period. A few other major events happened in Rowling's life at this time. In 1992, she married a Portuguese TV journalist, and in 1993 the new couple was blessed with a daughter. Jupiter rules the 7th house of relationship in this chart, and is also the indicator of the spouse for a woman. Counting from the Moon, the ruler of motherhood, Jupiter rules the fifth house of children and creativity, showing the fulfilled possibility of motherhood during this time.

This marriage did not last long, however. Joanne divorced, returned home, and joined her sister in Edinburgh during Christmas of 1993. Mars on the Ascendant is difficult for marriage and partnership, and it is recommended to an individual with this placement to seek out prospective partners with a similar placement. Mars represents individuality and power, qualities that must be somewhat compromised for a successful relationship. Obviously, Joanne did not find this level of compatibility in her husband, and used her power and individuality to strike out on her own as a single mother.

Early 1994 marked the beginning of her Rahu major/Saturn minor period. Coincidentally, Joanne was going through her Saturn return at that time. For each person, this happens from between the ages of 27-30, and again between the ages of 56-60, usually lasting about 2 1/2 years. Saturn takes approximately 28 years to make his cycle, and the Saturn Return indicates that he has made it back to the spot that he occupied at one's birth. This is usually a time of reckoning with life's responsibilities, and can be difficult. So, Ms. Rowling was basically pounded with Saturn's energy during this time. In her chart, Saturn is placed in his own sign of Aquarius, further strengthened by retrograde status. He's located in the sixth house, the domain of debt, disease, poverty, and service. During this time, Rowling was caught in the classic poverty cycle. A single mother, she got by on welfare, had bouts with depression, and skipped meals to save money. During this time, she worked on Harry Potter, writing on notepads in cafes. She finished writing the book in 1995 and typed it up on an old typewriter. As she couldn't afford to photocopy it, she typed out the manuscript again and sent it to a publisher and two agents. She worked as a French teacher during 1996 while she was waiting to hear about the book. Talk about the dark hour before dawn...

In 1997, Joanne Rowling began her Rahu major/Mercury minor period. Her Mercury is located in outgoing and entertaining Leo, and rules the 10th(career) and 1st (personality and fame). In February 1997, the Scottish Arts Council gave her 8,000 pounds, a record grant for a children's author. She bought a computer with which to finish the second book. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was published in Britain in July, 1998. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was published in Britain in July, 1999. Soon, three Harry Potter books occupied the top three positions on the New York Times bestseller list. Warner Bothers purchased the film rights to the first two books at this time under Rowling's demands that it be live action and that she have script approval. Mattel purchased merchandising rights to Harry Potter during this time as well.

August 1999 through August 2000 marked the Rahu major/Ketu minor period. During this time the 4th Harry Potter book was written, showing the internal, private nature of Ketu, which is required for such things as book writing projects. Ketu aspects the 11th house of gain and is aspected by wealthy Jupiter in her chart. During this time Rowling was listed by Forbes as the 24th highest celebrity earner in the world, having earned $40 million in 1999. Book four, the most lengthy volume yet, was published in July 2000 simultaneously in the US and Britain.

August 2000 marked the beginning of Rowling's current planetary period, Rahu major/Venus minor. Venus is in Leo in her chart, so it makes sense that the film rendering of her creation was released during this period. Venus is the ruler of her 2nd house, which rules money as well as powers of speech and writing. Again, Venus also rules the fortunate 9th house which is inhabited by famous Rahu and wealthy Jupiter in her chart.

I predict that J.K. Rowling's success will have lasting power throughout the remainder of her Rahu major period and will continue through her next major period, ruled by Jupiter, which will run from 2007 through 2023. Something tells me that fantasy lovers everywhere will continue to be rapt with the tales of Harry Potter and perhaps by other of Joanne Rowling's potential literary creations.