Sade Sati — literally "seven and a half" — is the roughly seven-and-a-half years Saturn (Shani) takes to pass through three signs: the one before your moon sign (rashi), your rashi itself, and the one after. Saturn has been in Meen since 29 March 2025, so three rashis are in it now: Kumbha is in its last phase, Meen at its peak, and Mesh has just begun. The dates below come from Saturn's actual position — the same calculation behind our yearly rashifal — checked against the dates published in Lahiri-based panchangs.
Who has Sade Sati now
Sade Sati is counted from your moon sign — the rashi the Moon was in when you were born, which is also the rashi Nepali names are chosen from. It is not the Western sun sign. If you don't know yours, the first syllable of your name usually tells you: try the name finder on our rashifal page.
| Rashi | Status |
|---|---|
| Kumbha (Aquarius) | Sade Sati — last phase (Saturn in the 2nd) |
| Meen (Pisces) | Sade Sati — peak phase (Saturn in the 1st) |
| Mesh (Aries) | Sade Sati — first phase (Saturn in the 12th) |
| Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Dhaiya — Kantaka Shani (Saturn in the 4th) |
| Singha (Leo) | Dhaiya — Ashtama Shani (Saturn in the 8th) |
Start and end dates for each rashi
Sade Sati starts when Saturn enters the sign before yours and ends when it leaves the sign after. Saturn turns retrograde for about four and a half months every year, so near a sign change it can step back for a while — that is why some periods below have a pause.
| Rashi | Began | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Makar | Jan 2017 | Ended 29 Mar 2025 |
| Kumbha | 24 Jan 2020 | 23 Feb 2028 |
| Meen | 29 Apr 2022 (paused Jul 2022 – 17 Jan 2023) | 17 Apr 2030 |
| Mesh | 29 Mar 2025 | Around mid-2032 |
| Brish | 3 Jun 2027 (paused 20 Oct 2027 – 23 Feb 2028) | Around July 2034 |
| Mithun | 8 Aug 2029 (paused 5 Oct 2029 – 17 Apr 2030) | Around August 2036 |
The three phases
Each phase lasts about two and a half years. In the first (Saturn in the 12th from your rashi) the tradition expects expenses, travel and restless sleep. The second, with Saturn on your rashi itself, is the peak: heavier responsibility, fatigue and slow results. In the last (Saturn in the 2nd) the pressure moves to money, family and speech, and eases as it ends.
Not every Sade Sati is hard. Many jyotishis read it as a period that rewards discipline and patience, and the effect depends on the whole birth chart — Saturn's own placement, the dasha you are running — not on the moon sign alone.
Dhaiya: the two-and-a-half-year periods
Saturn in the 4th house from your rashi (Kantaka Shani) or the 8th (Ashtama Shani) is called dhaiya — a shorter spell the tradition treats like a small Sade Sati. While Saturn is in Meen, that is Dhanu and Singha. When it moves into Mesh it becomes Makar and Kanya, and with Saturn in Brish from 2030, Kumbha and Tula.
What the tradition says to do
The customary observances in Nepal are simple: worship of Shani on Saturdays, lighting a sesame-oil lamp, offering black sesame or mustard oil, reciting the Hanuman Chalisa or a Shani stotra, and giving to people in need. These are acts of devotion, and none of them costs much.
Be wary of anyone who says Sade Sati requires an expensive puja, gemstone or "dosh nivaran" package. Rashifal is a cultural tradition — read it for reflection, and don't let it drive big health, money or family decisions.