If you ask me whether I believe in astrology, you'll probably get a vague answer. And like with many things with me, some days I will argue with you that astrology is as much scientific as quantum physics. I will probably extol the glory of Ancient India and tell you how Sage Bhrigu made the horoscopes of all people – past, present and future. I will also present evidence -- incidents from my life to show that astrology is indeed a plausible system of predicting the future.
There are also days when I will argue that astrology is a lot of "horse manure". Mumbo jumbo created by smart observant people with excellent deductive skills who use psychology to fleece the gullible. Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle, actually) would have made such a wonderful astrologer. He could tell so much about a visitor by simply being observant. I am sure he could also make predictions if he wanted to. And in a way, he did! He often anticipated what the criminal might be up to or where he might be!
One must admit, however, that there are all kinds of astrologers just as there are all kinds of doctors, teachers, mechanics, electricians. Some are good and qualified. Others are con-artists using a professional name to make a living – the "quack doctor" who dispenses medicines in the village; "teachers" who can't read the graduation "certificate" they have bought; and the astrologer on the footpath with his more skilled assistant, the parrot!
When I weigh all the unexplainable incidents in my life against all the false astrologers I have met and false predictions made, I find that I am actually a believer! But thankfully, my faith in astrology is not blind. I am not one of those who would go rushing to an astrologer because I've heard he or she makes good predictions. I would not go to a "tantrik" to fix things for me. I'd rather go to a temple and pray to "God" to fix things. It's free! (God within quotes because my ideas of God is very different from popular belief!).
I must confess that I do read the astrology section of the newspapers avidly. I feel disappointed if it isn't there on a Sunday. But I don't remember a damn word after 15 minutes! If I'm watching TV and there's a programme on astrology, I sit glued to the set! But once again, I forget the monthly, weekly or daily projections that are made. But I must believe in astrology. Why else would I watch such programmes or read Linda Goodman's SUN SIGNS from cover to cover? Why else would I have not one but TWO astrology widgets on iGoogle?
But all said and done – astrology is fun if things are looking up. If not anything else, you can crack jokes about it or even pretend that you don't believe in such "bullshit". But these "bullshit" predictions act like straws that you clutch at or cling to when things aren't looking too good and you are looking for a ray hope; some sign from heaven.
When I was young and the red hue of an ism had turned pale pink, I was involved in producing a magazine. Though more of a learning exercise in a journalism school, it was a very serious effort at providing students a platform to put their skills to practical use. Students were involved in all aspects of print production – information gathering, writing, editing, reading galleys, design and layout, and then putting the magazine through the press. We also had to sell space and sell the magazine. I am of course talking of DATELINE DELHI, which has produced some of the finest journalists that India can boast of. Walk into any newspaper or magazine office or advertising agency and you will most likely to find an old Dateliner there! And God bless Mr. Sam Castelino, who set it all up and inspired a lot of young people (and some footpath-dwellers like me) to do something creative and worthwhile with their lives. But all this will be another blog entry at some future date. This blog is about astrology. Let me not deviate!
Mr. Seetaramaiyya, who used to teach Press Law at DATELINE was also an astrologer. He used to contribute an astrology column for the magazine on a regular basis. I remember that while he was ill or away, he ensured that his nephew would send us the column on time. Once, however, we couldn't find the copy. I don't know who lost it – us or the press. So we simply changed the dates on some old predictions and published it!
Mr. Seetharamaiyya was angry, but Mr Castelino was livid! The latter was angry because we had been "dishonest" and "insincere" and "turning out to be yellow" journalists! And the former was angry because he felt we had let down a lot of people. He later explained to us that by our silly action we had probably destroyed the faith of many in astrology – none of the predictions would come true! He also told us that though we may not believe in astrology there are those who don't make a move without first consulting their astrologer or astrological chart.
Now, when I read an Astrological prediction in a magazine or in the paper and realize that it does not remotely resemble what's happening in my life, I wonder if someone has played the same trick with us as we had played with our readers when we were young!
Anyway, here's something that makes one wonder about astrology. Since I'm talking of Mr Seetharamaiyya, I should mention it. Once he had gone to visit a Dateliner. There he met her father, who had just retired from government service. The Dateliner's father was a Freedom Fighter who later went on to become a very senior bureaucrat. While chatting, Mr. Seetharamaiyya mentioned to the retired gentleman that he would soon take up another government job. It seemed so incredulous! The gentleman in question had crossed the retiremnt age! Of course no one believed him. Least of all the Dateliner's father who did not believe in such superstitious nonsense. But to everyone's amazement, a few month's later, there was a new government in power and the new Foreign Minister requested the Dateliner's Dad to go as the Ambassador to an island nation near Africa with very close cultural and ethnic links to India. Mr Seetharamaiyya's prediction had come true!
I haven't mentioned names here to protect the identity of the people involved. Anyway, there have been a few incidents in my own life that makes me tilt towards believing in astrology.
Take my marriage to Meena for instance. Since we were from different parts of the country and from different cultures, there was naturally some resistance from her parents when they first got the news. They did give their consent. But it took a while. And meanwhile, Meena's mother consulted the "Bhrigu Samhita" – the predictions supposed to have been made by Sage Bhrigu about people past, present and future. Legend says that the "book of predictions" was divided up by his disciples and now portions of it exist in different parts of the country. Like Nostradamus' predictions, the writings need to be interpreted.
Anyway, there are certain religious or holy places where one can consult "Bhrigu Samhita". If it is thus ordained, you will go to the right place which has "your portion". Apparently when Meena's mother went to the Bhrigu-ashram (I'm not sure where) to consult about Meena, her portion was not available with them. But predictions about her father were there. In that, a bit about her was mentioned – especially the part about her marriage to me! In fact, the exact date on which we were to be married!!!!
Meena and I knew nothing about it because being educated and "rational" people, I suppose my in-laws were too embarrassed to admit what they were up to! We got to know all this after our marriage. But the strange thing is that Meena's father, who was very spiritual and meditated regularly and also was a Preceptor for a particular form of meditation, decided to see if there was any substance to this belief in astrology. He, therefore, tried all sorts of tricks to prevent the marriage from taking place on the appointed day. Since we were a little (and unjustifiably) suspicious of his motives both Meena and I were adamant about the chosen date.
When Meena's mother told us all this many months after our marriage, she also showed us the "patrika" or paper with the predictions. It was clearly mentioned that Meena and I would get married on 20th February 1982! How do you explain that?
There have been other incidents in my life involving astrological preditions. But I'll save them for other future blogs... This is all for now. There's more to come.... eventually
