I am indeed familiar with vedic astrology, and would love to talk more about it. I do find it difficult to understand, even though I have a giant book about it! I often find it is a bit fatalistic for my liking, in that a certain aspect is either good or bad and doesnt not allow much room for free will or choice, though I have not read enough to really confirm that that is the accepted idea in Vedic practices.
I also know that the signs are about 21 degrees, I think, behind the western signs, which I also find very interesting. I have heard that vedic astrology more accurately reflects the heavens in real time, wheras western astrology is more based on math and not totally observation.
In a few more posts about my ancient history blog I will be talking about Babylonian and Mayan astrology beginnings, which are both entirely fascinating. I do want to look more deeply into Vedic astrology and its origins in the future, so if you have information on that, please do share! Indeed, in Mesopotamia astrology began both with observing the weather patterns and the heavens, something entirely fascinating. Watching the weather for signs is a particular time of oracle in fact!
Does Vedic astrology deal more with fixed stars and uhm what I think are called palaces instead of houses as well? I am not too sure.