Astrology and its believers
March 24, 2008
My aunt and my mother had just returned from the astrologers’ den after a 4-hour ordeal and said later that night, “One profession where you don’t need a degree, no equipment or capital investment for a swanky office but just a room rent and still keep a thriving business - astrology!” They were tired from the madness, the push and shove, the I-go-first adventure of the day. They could’ve returned, but they persisted until they had seen The Man.
Human beings are curious creatures, all eager to know what the future has in store for them - willing to lie on our bums for the rest of our lives if the astrologer predicts “You would settle abroad.” Your stars will work towards it, isn’t it?
Fortune telling is a thriving profession in India and manifests itself in various forms - palmistry, tarot reading, olai chudi/nadi josiyam, numerology, coffee reading, tea reading and astrology. The takers are no less in number ..it’s a different story whether we believe it or not. Some do it seriously as if their life depended on it and some just for the heck of it. No wonder Vivek Oberoi becomes Viveik Oberoi and just about every celebrity in Bollywood making the spelling confusing, sometimes tongue twisting ..with some changing it back and forth so many times that it’s hard to tell which is the current one. It was an obsession a while ago in Tamil Nadu and the name boards of even the tiniest grocery store changed the way they spelt it based on Numerology.
Belief in astrology has been so ingrained in our culture that people rush to fortune tellers irrespective of their class and caste, often ruining their lives by spending a fortune in parikarams, to set things right whatever be the problem - loss in business, daughter-in-law /mother tussle, marrying your longtime girlfriend or missing that much wanted promotion yet again. Often times, I’ve seen people visiting a particular temple one particular day of every week for months or fasting or taking a pilgrimage to a remote temple in a remote village of the country.
Astrology is a science; I’m neither ridiculing its believers nor doubting the credibility of those to who these people believe. Sometimes I wonder if they are just good observers and psychologists who believe in saying what we love to hear with a tinge of bad news to give it that authenticity. I just find it funny how this as a profession has passed down generations in this nation and in most cases serves as the only source of income and how people hold on to every word the astrologer says. As if the human version was not enough, we now have numerous software that boast of accuracy in prediction and high success rate in match making. There are no degrees or experience certificates to prove these astrologers are the best in their profession - it’s all by word of mouth. Of late, I’ve heard people in the marriage market complaining there’s a dearth now and many are increasingly turning to the software version but are missing the solace and comfort of hearing their fortunes from that of another human - the reassurance and personal touch is missing.
Years ago, ‘93 to be precise, a distance uncle saw my palm and said, “You would never travel abroad.” I replied, “But I just got back a month ago.” Surprised and adjusting his posture he said, “Well that was your last trip.” He pursued palm reading as a hobby and did not read everybody’s. I had no inkling about this hobby and later my granny said he was good at it. We’ll see I had told her. Those were the growing up years when all one dreamed was to study and work in U.S So this prediction was kind of upsetting. In due course of time, I perhaps forgot. More trips followed - ‘98, ‘00 followed by another one in ‘03-’04. I’m sure you have heard people tell you all sorts of things. They are good at telling what has happened in the past but when it comes to predict what is going to happen I doubt!
After all these years, I’d like to not believe any astrologer, not go to one (I don’t) and not don my fingers with colorful stones. Future is exciting when you don’t know what’s in store - isn’t that why it’s called that. Recently I was told I won’t work for the rest of my life and never have a career again. We’ll see!
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I wish I had a profession like this where I have no accountabiity. I can tell you will be PM of India or India will reach semifinal of WC(remember all those news channels showing all such stuff a yr back) and I am noway accountable if it doesn’t happen. Its pure mathematics but the interpretation is extremely subjective.
That’s why I don’t read my own palm, he he!
But seriously life is what you make it! As humans we generally follow our main character traits, however we are creative beings who have the ability to change our thoughts and actions - verified in the fact that the lines on our hands change throughuot our lives!
“Nothing is written in stone” is what I tell people - the important thing is to use palm reading to your advantage i.e. find out your strengths and make sure you are “profiting” from them And work on your weaknesses!
Nice article, all the best.
Astrology sometimes do work and it can also predict the personality of a person.:;.