KOCHI:What our ancients preached, classified and purported seems to have no relevance today. In this digital world, the information technology has exploded spontaneously and we have accurate knowledge at our fingertips. So why should we have faith in cock and bull stories like astrology? This is, however, an unfortunate product. Many people recognise it, approve it and follow it. Many do not.
The paradox is that even those who ardently depend on it in every stage of their life; at birth, Namkaran, Annaprasan, schooling, marriage, house building and house-warming, castigate the belief in public. Even our Netas consult an astrologer before filing his nomination for the assembly seat and often summon the astrologer home when they become ministers. No industrialist or businessman is an exception. See how many horoscopes were compared with, before the marriage of your son or daughter.
Apart from astrology, there are signs or definitions like omens. If the wind blows from opposite direction as one starts off on a good errand, if a black cat jumps across, if two crows quarrel by packing each other and fall down one over the other from the top of the house, if a branch of a tree in your courtyard breaks off and falls down - these omens tell you not to persuade further. These are, however, the silly, unscientific and stupid conclusions about our ancestors.
Along with the above are signs like Hasti Lakshana, Mathanga Sastra and Saamudrika Lakshana (physiognomy). The latter one tells you, at a glance, what a stranger looks like. His forehead, his eyes and pupils, his ears, his shoulders, his palm and fingers - each organ signifies something. Like you are a member of a royal or aristocratic family. You are a Vidwan (scholar). You are a hard worker. You are a cheat. You are a hypocrite or your glittering and sparkling eyes tell the fathom of your heart. Your hand-writing, signature and neurology also tell about you. These are again debatable.But there are certain rude realities like the following predictions, which are naked truths.
According to physiognomy, a person’s name or that of a place has a certain significance. Pune has four letters. As per the anatomy events will occur instantly and the expansion and glory of the place will spear-head before all others. Delhi, Paris, China has five letters each. And the anatomy says events or actions will be quickest. In Mumbai, Jaipur and Kanpur’s case things will move reasonably quick here. With 18 letters in it prediction says that in Thiruvananthapuram certain things will not move. Such delay and dragging will end up in loss of the state’s interest and revenue. For example; Mulla Periyar, Edappally Rail over-bridge (18 years and six contractors, one after the other).
K K Shanmukhan is a corporate trainer and author (The views expressed by the author are his own)