Superstition & Bollywood!

Of course the film industry has lately discovered in big way the comfort of astrology and numerology.
I know only one person who's married to a tree, and it isn't Aishwarya Rai. Of course some of her co-stars resemble chunks of unprocessed wood. But she never married any of them. The only person I know who's married a tree is Shabana Azmi. And no, it wasn't the one that recurred in Indra Kumar's cinema. Wonder what happened to Induji's 'lucky' tree, did it stop being lucky with the flops? Shabana did marry a tree, though. No, I'm not calling Javed saab a tree. The only tree that she married was in Aparna Sen's film Sati, recreating the ancient practice of marrying manglik mademoiselles to trees to get rid of their inauspicious aura.
Does anyone really believe the progressive Bachchans to be guilty of such practice? Did the family patriarch really need to tell the world that his bahu was never married to a tree? For the record, both Abhishek and Aishwarya are manglik . As far as I know this confluence of two challenging horoscopes automatically cancels out whatever harmful conspiracies destiny may have planned for the couple.
And by the way, one of the most successful marriages in the film industry bonds two mangliks - Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. Yup the Bachchans are a family of mangliks . Has it made them any less successful, collectively or individually? Of course the film industry has lately discovered in big way the comfort of astrology and numerology. But I don't think our film folks allow the stars above to govern their lives beyond a point. For years Shah Rukh Khan has been advised by friends and well-wishers to move out of his bungalow Mannat. It's supposed to have brought SRK ill luck. What ill luck? All I see is good things happening to Shah Rukh's career and life. And instead of moving out of Mannat he's adding wings to his dream place. As for those of my friends in the entertainment business who subscribe to superstitions, let me say in their defence that no one in this cut-throat world of give-and-fake is going to invest crores in a project just because his favourite astrologer says so. Ekta Kapoor does seem to outwardly manifest and exude the most intense religiosity. And I respect her for her beliefs. But I don't think she for a minute believes that success happened to her because she prayed hard or that she became religious to attain success. Personal beliefs are personal, and that's the way they should remain.
Ekta, Karan Johar and Rakesh Roshan favour the letter 'k' as long as it works for them. The original 'K' specialist was Arjun Hingorani who believed in film titles with 3 Kab Kyun Aaur Kahan, Kahani Kismat Ki .
But he also made thundering 'K' flops like Khel Khiladi Ka and Kaun Kare Kurbani. When Subhash Ghai decides to put himself in one frame of all his films, when Sanjay Dutt wears a particular shirt to court or when Kangana Ranaut insists on looking at her sister's face before cutting any deal, I don't think they are being aggressively superstitious. It's just a homage to their comfort zone. I recently saw one of my closest friends in the film industry suddenly wearing an astrological ring. "I wore it because someone persuaded me to. I don't think it will change my life dramatically, or make me a calmer person. But what's the harm?" she reasoned.
Harm aur tum ? No way! In the fiercely competitive world of entertainment, more and more people would resort to tikkas on foreheads, rings, beads and amulets. If nothing else, they do look cool on a lot of Bollywood's folks. (Views expressed by columnists in Bombay Times are their own, and not that of the paper29 Jun, 2007 Subhash K Jha /TIMES NEWS NETWORK)

Astrology for British Prime Minister

An Indian astrologer Bejan Daruwalla predicts the future for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown -
Ganesha points out that unlike the former premier Tony Blair the new premier Gordon Brown, will be reserved, very humane, conservative and show great fondness and friendship for India. He will be sworn to office on June 27. We are now in the year 2007. Number 27 refers to the sceptre of authority and power. Therefore Brown will use it wisely and well. The date 27 and year 2007 are a perfect match numerologically.By Indian astrologers on June 27 there was the suspicious Raj Yog and Amritsiddhi Yog. This gives a cutting edge to the premiership of Brown. He starts in style and speed. By Western astrology, Brown is an American with a strong touch of Pisces. In simple language, Brown will keep an open mind, have integrity and intelligence, face opposition and show real sympathy and care for humanity. These are obviously fine qualities. He is a man with a warm heart. He speaks less, acts more.Brown comes into his own around 2009 – 2010 – 2011. Yes, he will make a positive contribution to world causes. He will never be in the cahoots with Bush for selfish, pseudo gains. Your Ganesha devotee welcomes him with open arms. He deserves it. There is a danger of ill-health, accidents and sabotage from his own party members. He is vulnerable. September, December, March, June will be tough.

संविधानसभा चुनावमा के हुने ?

काठमाडौँ । त्रिशुलबाबाले असारमा प्रलय हुने भविष्यवाणी गरेको कुरा सेलाउन नपाउँदै अर्का ज्योतिष डा एस सिटौला (आचार्य कैवल्यानन्द ) ले संविधानसभाको चुनाव मंसिर ६ मा नहुने ठोकुवा गर्नु भएको छ । डा सिटौलाले संविधानसभाको तिथि मंसिर ६ गतेको दिन मेष राशीमा चन्द्रमा र आश्विणी नक्षेत्र परेको कारण ठूलै झगडा र खुनखराबा हुने बताउनुभयो । उहाँले भन्नुभयो अश्विणी स्वामी केतु शिर नभएको ग्रह हो । त्यस्तै मेषको चन्द्रमालाई रातो चन्द्रमा भनिन्छ । रातो चन्द्रमालाई झगडा र मारकाटको रूपमा फलित ज्योतिषले उद्घोष गर्दछ । त्यसैले पनि संविधानसभाको चुनाव मंसिर ६ गतेको दिनलाई तोकिनु खगोलीय ग्रहको हिसाबले सन्तोषजनक मानिँदैन । उक्त दिन चुनाव भएमा देशले निकास पाउँदैन । त्यसैगरी २०६४ साउनमा विश्वघष्र पक्ष परेको हुनाले पनि देशमा ठूलो झगडा र हत्या हिंसाको योग छ । विश्वमा भएका ठूलाठूला युद्धहरू रामायण, महाभारत पनि विश्वघष्र पक्ष परेका बेलामा भएका थिए ।

The Astrology of music

Gary Goldschneider is very good at a lot of things. He can play the piano well enough to claim the right to international concert stages. He can compose music. He can remember anything he has ever heard or read - word for word, note by note. And he can decipher the mysteries of the stars.
For him, every piece of music has an astrological signature. Using the birthdates of composers, he can map out the character of the artist and his music.
In this big round world, there are a lot of people who fervently believe in astrology. They may either, like orthodox Hindus, use auspicious and inauspicious dates as stepping stones for their entire lives, or just occasionally look up their astrological advice for the week in the local rag. And then there are those for whom astrology, not being a pure science, must be taken with a pinch of salt. Whatever your bent though, it's hard not to get swept up in the enthusiasm that Gary Goldschneider combines with his breathtaking trick of memory. Name a date - your birthday for example, or that of a spouse or a child and he'll immediately reel off a list of famous people who were born on the same day. He'll name characteristics, foibles, personality quirks that go with the astrological sign. He'll pinpoint other signs that are compatible and those that absolutely aren't with this one. "Ah, Aquarius…" my answer to his very first question to me prompted his trademark broad grin. "I can see straightaway we're going to get along." On hearing the birthdate of my daughter (8 May) he was rapturous… "Oh, you and your husband must be so happy to have such an easy child." As far as astrology goes, I'm not what you call a True Believer, but I was not immune to this fatal combination of charm, memory, knowledge and energy.
Over the past two years, I have been the receptacle of Gary Goldschneider's immense knowledge of both music and astrology as together we produce a series on The Stars of Music. Sitting at his Bechstein, he talked to me about different types of music, illustrating his examples with riffs delivered with panache and casual virtuosity, and peppering our musical conversation with astrological nuggets.(by Dheera Sujan,Radio Netherlands 22-06-2007)

Fortune-tellers or Fortune sellers

(TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2007 )
All this might sound hooey to some, but the list of people, who believe they have been able to control their progression/destiny by knowing what the future has in store, runs long. The believers refuse to call it superstition. Instead they believe that astrology and related arts or divination like numerology, palmistry, tarot, crystal ball, aura cleaning help them fully realise their potential and enhance their prospects of extracting maximum out of minimum. They believe astrological predictions are holistic and take into account the planetary movement and the position of stars. This belief seems to transcend age, class and nationality.
Welcome aboard — with everyone from the corporate, political and entertainment world turning to divination, it’s a flourishing business today. Many astrologers have hit the headlines for having helped change the fortune of people and in the process, making fortunes for themselves. Increasingly, companies are turning to astrological advises for a range of things, from hiring staff to concluding deals. This new phenomenon has led to the emergence of specialised business and commodity astrologers.
And most of them are not saffron-robed or parrot carrying abracadabra guys. The are tech savvy and are aware of all national and global developments. The lucre of divination is such that many professionals have quit their jobs to take up prophesying full time. Meenakshi Rani, an advocate by profession, is now an expert tarot reader. Another tarot expert Sunita Menon was an air-hostess. Aura reader Suresh Aggarwal is lecturer by profession.
K N Somayaji, director, Kalpatharu Research Academy, which is attached to the famous Sringeri Shankar Mutt, spouts jargons like financial markets, industrial espionage, portfolio management and disinvestment. The well-travelled Somayaji’s client list makes impressive reading and includes top industrialists and politicians. So do the client list of Sanjay B Jumaani, Sunita Menon, Meenakshi Rani, Suresh Aggarwal and Rajeshwar Shastri. The maverick Bejan Daruwala and Ma Prem Usha are, of course, legendary names.
The kind of money people are willing to shell out to know the unknown is unbelievable. Though many of these fortune-tellers claim they do not charge money and only take what their client offers as “dakshina”, the fees can range from Rs 750 to Rs 5,000 per sitting. Sometimes, the antidote depends upon the money the client is willing to shell out.
A tarot card reader in the newspaper can get anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 a month for her weekly column depending on her/his popularity, Sunita Menon charges Rs 1,500 per sitting. Ajay Bhambi, a pioneer in astrology software, charges Rs 1,500 for yearly predictions and Rs 5,000 for five-year predictions. Bejan Daruwala charges Rs 3,000 for reading one horoscope. His charges can go up to Rs 5,000. Ma Prem Usha charges Rs 1,500 per sitting. Her daughter Rithambara Usha charges Rs 3,000 per reading, while Rani charges Rs 3,000 per session.
And what is drawing the corporates to these guys who fortell the future by interpreting omens or by using paranormal or supernatural powers? “The curiosity to know what the future hold is a basic human instinct. Whether it’s the election results or a stock market performance, the concerned people believe predictions help them be in control of situations,” says Rani.
Jumaani, however, feels “liberalisation has led to more competition and opportunities. There’s greater awareness about astrological science. “Scientists can go wrong but science can’t go wrong. People believe astrologers help them realise their potentials and chart their path accordingly,” says Rajeshwar Shastri.
Somayaji’s usual jargon-coated take is “L.P.G (liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation) and I.C.E have shrunk the world and made it tough for businessmen. Therefore, their belief in astrology has gone up. There is greater uncertainty and turmoil today and people seek divine intervention. People are result-oriented and not reason-oriented. Talking to astrologers boosts their morale.”

राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रको नया वर्षकुण्डली

नेपालका राजा ज्ञानेन्द्र २०६४ साल असार २४ गते तदनुसार जुलाई ८, २००७ बिहान ८ः५२ः१७ मा ६० वर्षपूरा गरी ६१ औँ वर्षा प्रवेश गरेका छन् ।वर्षलग्नाधिपति ः र्सर्ूयजन्मलग्नाधिपति ः गुरुमुन्थाधिपति ः गुरुराशिपति ः गुरुत्रिराशिपति ः गुरुजन्म कुण्डलीको छैठौँ भाव वर्षकुण्डलीमा लग्नमा आउनु ताजिकशास्त्रले त्यति शुभफल बताएको छैन । रोग र शत्रु वृद्धि हुन जानेछ । घरमा कलह एवं पश्चातापको अग्निले जलाउने छ । यो साल मुन्था पनि अष्टम भावमा द्वादशेश चन्द्रमासँग रहेको हुनाले शरीरमा कमजोरी, दर्ुबलता एवं मरणान्तक कष्ट हुने ताजिकशास्त्रले बताएको हुनाले शान्तिको लागि मुन्थादान गर्नु आवश्यक छ । मुन्थादानको लागि काँसको थालीमा घ्यू, सेतो वस्त्र, अन्न एवं तुलादान गर्नुपर्दछ । साथै, मरणान्तक कष्ट दिने यो साल देखिएको हुनाले शनि मृत्युञ्जयको जप एकदम जरुरी देखिन्छ । वर्षुण्डलीअनुसार, श्रावण, मंसिर, माघ र चैत महिना कष्टकारक देखिन्छ । जनमकुण्डलीअनुसार २०६३ साल फागुनदेखि आएको संकटले पनि विभिन्न संकटहरू उत्पन्न गराउला

‘Star’ power'

“Lovely young people who found themselves compatible in every sense of the term couldn’t tie the knot because their horoscopes didn’t match! ” It was a perfect match. Well, almost. Both of them were in their early twenties, MBA grads who had spent a year abroad and were now settling down to their workplaces. But it was over even before it began. The two lovely young people who found themselves compatible in every sense of the term couldn’t tie the knot because their horoscopes didn’t match!“Unfortunately, in the last decade or so there has been a resurgence of ‘horoscope compatibility’. Apart from parents, even youngsters themselves want to have their horoscopes matched these days. In the process, they lose out on great matches. “I can only counsel them, in the end it has to be their decision,” says Urvashi Shah, who runs a city based marriage bureau. She reasons it out, “I tell them, if you marry for love would you bother to match horoscopes?”
However, there are some who believe in ’star’ power. “In an age where nothing is sacrosanct anymore, why take chances? When I marry I want to ensure to the best of my abilities that everything is right. Matching horoscopes gives me that security and after all it is all about faith,” says Anant Shah, 28, a research analyst.
For some, it is a matter of past experiences. “I have faith in astrology. I have seen numerous examples wherein a couple has had an unhappy life because their stars didn’t match,” says Nirali Dakwala, 30, a teacher.
Sometimes love conquers. Shaina Salat, branch head of an internet marketing firm and her computer engineer husband Hersh Bhatt chose to put more emphasis on love. “We met through the internet and fell in love. My husband’s family is a great believer in astrology. However, both of us were certain that we wouldn’t let anything like horoscope come in the way of us getting married.”So Salat and Bhatt made a decision that they wouldn’t get their horoscopes checked for compatibility at all. “It was the wisest thing we ever did. If they wouldn’t have matched, we would have been in a dilemma . His parents saw our point of view and agreed with us. We believed in ourselves and it worked.”
Similarly Paurvi Pandya and Saurabh Pathak also made a prudent decision when they decided to get married four years ago. “My mother believed in horoscopes. But when we met through an arranged setting we were so smitten by each other that we decided that nothing would come between us. So, to be on a safer side, we gave the horoscope-matching a go by and my mother was only too happy to agree.”
Now they thank their ’stars’ for not being a part of the process of star matching! (Times of India, India 20 June 2007)

विश्वकै पहिलो प्रेम विवाह

हिमालपारिको राज्य भनेर चिनिने मुस्ताङ्ग आजसम्म पनि विभिन्न रहस्य र कौतुहलताले भरिपर्ूण्ा छ । दक्षिण भारतीय एक ब्राम्हण शिव नै पहिलो मुस्ताङ पुग्ने पर्यटक हुन । यसलाई पर्यटन विभागले पनि प्रचार-प्रसारमा ल्याए राम्रो हुने थियो । जब शिव यस पावन भूमिमा पुगे तब उनी ध्यान मुद्रामा बस्दा, हिमालय पवर्तकी छोरी पार्वतीले उनलाई देखिन र मनमनै शिवप्रति प्रेम गर्न थालिन पछि पार्वतीले आफ्नो पिता हिमालय पर्वतलाई बिहे गरे शिवसँग नै गर्ने अरू कसैसँग पनि नगर्ने भनी विभिन्न व्रत उपासना साथै जिद्दी गर्न थालिन । आखिरमा हिमालय पर्वतले आफ्नी छोरी पार्वतीको बिहे शिवसँग नै गराइदिए । यसरी यो शिव-पार्वतीको विवाह नै विश्वको पहिलो प्रेम विवाहको साथसाथै अर्न्तजातीय विवाह पनि मान्नसकिन्छ । शिव दक्षिण भारतीय ब्राम्हण थिए । जो कालो वर्ण्र्ाा तिखा आँखा चुच्चो नाक भएका थिए भने पार्वती गोरी थेप्चो नाक गरेकी थिइन् ।

Indian Astrologer in Nepal prisons

In Dillibazar jail in the capital Of Nepal, Katmandu, an Indian astrologer languishes on allegations of fraud. Dattatreya Joshi, who was doing thriving business from Vaishali hotel in Kathmandu’s tourist hub Thamel, used to advertise in Nepali dailies and television as well. The statistics, however, throw light only on the Indian male prisoners. While a lone Indian woman Putali Devi Shrivasta is currently in the central jail on a drug-smuggling charge, there is little information available about Indian women being held in prisons in the outer districts.

महाभूकम्पको भविष्यवाणी

काठमाडौँ । केही दिनयता उपत्यकामा त्रिशूल बाबाको भविष्यवाणीको निकै चार्चा गरिएको छ । उनले आगामी असार ८ गते र २६ गते विश्वकै लागि विनाशकारी समय रहने बताउँदै सो दिन महाभूकम्प आउने बताएका छन् । उनले यी दर्ुइ दिन चनाखो भई बस्न र विदेश गएका छोराछोरीलाई सुरक्षित बस्नसमेत निर्देशन दिएका छन् । उनले सो महाभूकम्पले नेपालमा मात्र तीन लाख मान्छे मर्ने र व्यापक भौतिक क्षति नेपालले ब्यहोर्नुपर्ने बताएका छन् भने भारत र पाकिस्तानमा नेपालको भन्दा सैयौँ गुणा क्षति हुनेसमेत बताएका छन् । त्यसो त उनले सो भूकम्पबाट जमिनको ३०-४० मिटर बीचबीचमा धाँजा फाट्ने र कैयौँ घर, रुख-बिरुवा त्यसै धाँजाबाट छिर्ने बताउँदै बाटोसमेत धाँजा फाटेर जाने र यसले विश्वकै जनतालाई पिरोल्ने बताएका छन् भने विश्वका एक दर्जन मुलुक समुद्रमा विलय हुनेसमेत बताएको उनी निकटले बताए । उत्तरबाट दक्षिण हुँदै आउने सो भूकम्प अहिलेसम्मको सबैभन्दा ठूलो हुने बताए । तर,नेपालका वरिष्ठ ज्योतिर्विद् डा. एस. सुनिल (आचार्य कैवल्यानन्द) लेज्योतिर्विज्ञानअनुसार त्यस दिन खगोलीय ग्रहस्थिति सामान्य रहेको हुनाले त्यस्तो ठूलै घटना घट्न सक्ने योग देखिँदैन, बताउनुभएको छ।

Nostradamus foreseen as third quarter release

New historical adventure underway from Kheops and partnersThere's something about the early 16th century that agrees with Kheops Studio and its development partners TOTM Studio and Mzone Studio. After having delved the mysteries of Leonardo Da Vinci in their last collaboration, now the trio are turning their sights to the famous seer in Nostradamus — The Last Prophecy.Following a similar pattern to The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript, the new adventure tasks players with a series of puzzles inspired by the works of Nostradamus, covering a variety of topics like astrology and medicine. Set in Provence during a time of plague and religious warfare, former regent Catherine de Médicis has become a popular target of attacks by the French nobility, and when she discovers she's fallen victim to a curse, she requests the help of her doctor and astrologer, Michel de Nostre-Dame.Nostradamus cannot attend personally, so he sends his daughter Madeleine in his stead. In medieval times, however, a woman would never be recognized as either a doctor or astrologer, so in order to gain acceptance, Madeleine must disguise herself as her younger brother César. Players will alternate between the characters of Madeleine and César as they find themselves "plunged into a thriller where political scheming and ancestral prophecies are intertwined. The game begins as an initiatory adventure in the footsteps of her father, the prophet and astrologer, before creating all the suspense of a detective novel: from one murder to another, players make their way through a test-riddled forensic investigation."Nostradamus — The Last Prophecy will be published by Elektrogames in Europe and MC2 Microids in North America, and the game is currently targeting a release in the third quarter of this year.

Astrologer rapes woman client at work-station

DH News Service, Bangalore:
The future of a 32-year-old astrologer looks particularly bleak after he was booked for rape.
The future of a 32-year-old astrologer looks particularly bleak after he was booked for rape. Pandit Swamy Shastry alias Anju who runs his business from Pipeline Road, Sreenagar (Hanumanth Nagar police limits), is in the eye of a storm following the alleged rape of a housewife. The mother of two children was residing just a few steps away from his ‘work-station’ at Akka Mahadevi Street. At around 7.30 pm on Saturday, the victim's husband, a cook, was taken aback to find his wife absent at home. His search for her ended near the astrologer’s ‘shop’ where, according to the woman, she had gone to find a solution for a strange problem -- of late, while cooking, she finds the rice turning red. The astrologer, after apparently consulting whatever needed to be consulted in such cases, told her that an evil spirit was behind the problem and that he could fix it for Rs 3,000. And as the woman looked helpless about the payment, the man apparently took ‘full advantage’ of her plight. The astrologer, a Lingarajapuram resident, vanished soon after. The police have sent the victim for medical examination and a search is on for the astrologer.

Astrologers are reinventing themselves to keep up with the modern times

Astrologers are reinventing themselves to keep up with the modern times. A report

A waft of incense greets visitors to the chamber of astrologer Bharati Bharadwaj (“Mataji”). Inside on offer are the integrated services of spiritualism. On a marble-topped table sit several idols of Ganesha and three Laughing Buddhas. Wind-chimes sway gently. Part of the chamber is done up like a shrine, where a large idol of a Dasha Mahavidya Shakti Roop is installed. Crystals, bells and Feng Shui accessories are displayed on a table.
Since many worlds have opened up via the media and the Net, the conjunction of planets has ruled that the home-grown astrologer take on other dimensions. New-age astrology in the city harmoniously combines traditional Indian belief, numerology, tarot card reading, Feng Shui and the western influence.
“The western way of predicting the future through birthdays is a little different from us, but a similarity runs through various disciplines,” says Bharadwaj, who has travelled to London, France and US cities for work. “I have tried analysing the future through jyotish, numerology, tarot and Feng Shui, and have got more or less the same results,” she says.
Bharadwaj is in a long yellow robe and just a hint of saffron tika on her forehead, a far cry from the stereotype of the dhoti-clad astrologer. She is fluent in English, patient and welcoming. “Recently I attended a conference on Indian spiritualism and its global reach. Religion or philosophy has two divisions, black magic and higher spiritualism. I have also made a documentary on tantra,” says Bharadwaj, who appears on several TV channels.
TV-savvy
Other astrologers may not be so intent on fusion, but offer smart, tech-savvy services. The office of Amritlal, a renowned astrologer, is an antithesis of Bharadwaj’s. The reception, with an aquarium and two women at the desk, may be that of a travel agent’s or a tax lawyer’s, except for a poster of planets and a rate chart announcing “Palm reading Rs 300, horoscope Rs 500”.
Amritlal might be mistaken for an ordinary office employee or a stock-broker, in his checked shirt and trousers. But he has his own channel called Fortune Channel that combines astrology, news bulletins, entertainment and politics.
Mobile network
The mobile plays a crucial role. With a worldwide clientele — “I often get calls till one in the morning from overseas,” says Bharadwaj — some have direct reach. But others have to grapple with a network of underlings and mobile phones.
A minimum of two mobile phones are de rigeur. Subhash Shastri has two, manned by different managers. Jyotish Maharaj, or Sri Bhrighu (Anadi), has several. One number leads to another. Sanjay Kapoor, who appears on Sristi TV, has several mobile numbers operated by several men who keep asking the caller to call back. Kapoor has little time to spare.
In Shree Bhairabananda’s green-and-white cramped chambers done up with pictures of gods and goddesses, four mobiles and a big magnifying glass rest on a table. Clad in a red robe with a tika on his forehead and sporting a full beard, he looks every bit the tantric and astrologer he claims to be. He has a programme on Sristi TV that is aired three times a week. He combines face reading, numerology, horoscope and tantra.
Talking the talk
The star-gazers speak a new language, with little jargon. “About 70 per cent of my clients are students. Questions vary from whether they should take up science or arts, to choice of profession. If one forgets for a while that I am using astrology, my chamber would look like a career counsellor’s,” says Jyotish Maharaj. Parents don’t always accompany the students. “I have to use their words,” says Bharadwaj.
Another common query is related to relationships. “Parents wanting to know when the girl will get married is not so common any more. But a young unmarried couple often approaches me to calculate whether the relationship will end up as a friendship, or culminate in marriage. Boys are a little more emotional. They prefer not to know because they want to hold on to a relationship, but the girls are very practical,” laughs Amritlal. Clients are from various strata, some even checking with the astrologer before raising a point in Parliament.
Amanath Mukherjee, a grandfatherly figure who taught geology at Ashutosh College, looks an unlikely candidate for the profession. “Earlier most came for matchmaking. Now people are more worried about their married or romantic life, careers and businesses,” says Mukherjee. He claims to have “shishyas” all over India and often flies to many cities.
New antidotes
Remedies, too, are new. While gemstones are common antidotes, Lal has special metal tablets and Bharadwaj suggests spiritualism, special pujas and yagnas. “How many people can afford to buy so many gems?” asks Amritlal. “So I give them metal tablets, made of different metals in desired proportions,” he adds.
“I prescribe tantra, mantra and yantra as solutions,” says Amanath Mukherjee, drawing charts in his writing pad. But tech-enabled yagnas are high on his agenda. He combines his advocacy of yagnas and his faith in Ma Bagalamukhi with CDs. “I have two cameramen who record my yagnas, pujas and teachings.” A series from the recordings called ‘Camera ekhane okhane’ has been aired on various channels. He says astrology is witnessing a boom these days, because people are more insecure and are looking for any solution. “That is what we make our living from,” says Mukherjee.
No reason
Prabir Ghosh of the Science and Rationalists’ Association of India says that the craze for astrology has gone down: “It only survives in Calcutta because astrology enjoys the support of politicians.” But the astrologers say their profession is thriving. Amritlal puts it down to the more hectic rat race and the need to prove oneself always.
So despite reason, the city is flocking to astrologers. “I have been to many astrologers for career decisions,” says Shuddhashil Mullick, who is doing his masters in economics. Says Nivedita Mitra, who works in a media organisation: “An astrologer claimed that I would not do well in my Maths pass exams. He turned out to be right.” A wannabe rock band guitarist sports three gems on his fingers — emerald for a cool head, ruby because he is a musician and a third gem he couldn’t identify, but which takes care of his “Brihaspati”. And have you counted the rings on Abhishek Bachchan’s fingers?
:-POULOMI BANERJEE AND MALINI BANERJEE

Ominous for the royal family

Published :24 May 2007,Thrusday (Jestha 10,2064)

There is a belief that when the idol of Bhimeswor sweats, it indicates greater natural calamities or greater political upheaval or greater crisis in royal family. It is widely believed if the idol sweats on left, it will do harm to the people. If the idol sweats in the right, it is ominous for the royal family. This time, the idol has sweat on the right hand side.
The idol sweated since last evening from 6:30 to 7:15 am sweated again from 7:45 to 9 ‘0′ clock on the left.
Local people have been flocking to the temple since evening to take sweated cotton. According to the locals, the sweated cotton if kept at the houses would be kept from misery and worry and tend to prosper. Especially, people from Newar community flocked to the temple of Bhimeswor.
There has been no scientific study as to why idol sweats. There was a big upheaval in the nation when the idol sweated in previous years and the nation had to confront great crisis.
According to old times, the idol had sweated before 1990 mega quake, 1997 and 2007, death of 2011, 2028, prior to quake in 2045, prior to 2047 and prior to royal massacre in 2058.

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it’s sun that shapes our destiny

:-By Amelia Hill, Social Affairs Correspondent

The time of year we are born really does affect the people we become. Butit’s nothing to do with the position of the stars or movement of the planets, as horoscopes would have us believe. Instead, says a new study, it’s down to how much sunshine a woman is exposed to during her pregnancy.

“We have linked a child’s season of birth with levels of certain chemicals in the body, which have powerful impacts on the way people behave,” said professor Jayanti Chotai, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer at Umea University in Sweden.

Scientists believe that strong natural light boosts levels of serotonin, the brain’s natural ‘happy drug’ that seems to play a strong role in lifting moods. Chotai continued, “We made some very intriguing matches. Women born during spring have low serotonin levels because of the long months of winter during which they were in the womb.”

“Low serotonin levels are associated with impulsiveness and aggressiveness, as well as anxiety-related traits like neuroses, harm-avoidance and poor social skills. When combined into a particular temperament, these women are likely to be explosive, overly sensitive and passive-aggressive.”

Men born from February to April, on the other hand, are most likely to have high levels of dopamine, another mood-lifting chemical boosted by sunlight. “This means they will have impulsive and persistent character traits,” said Chotai, whose paper, published next month, is based on a Finnish study of almost 5,000 men and women.

Chotai also found that men born from October to January have low dopamine levels and are most likely to be gentle and reflective types.

Chotai insisted that astrologers should not seize on his research as evidence that personalities are predestined by star signs. “Our results should not be mixed up with astrology,” he said. “Only one heavenly body is invoked in explaining our results: the sun, because it is that which gives rise to seasons.”

“Characteristics do not change in jerks, day by day or week by week, according to the birth period. Rather, one’s personality is linked to the month of your birth in a curve, just as the curve in weather gently moves from cold to warm or from dark to light throughout the year, and not in sudden jerks

(OBSERVER NEWS SERVICE (SUNNYBABY)