GUNTUR: At a time when the world is making the most of the latest technology in everyday life, parrot astrologers/ fortune tellers seem to be making a quick buck during the ongoing Krishna Pushkarams.
The road leading to the ancient Amara Lingeswara Swamy Temple from the Pushkar Ghat at Amaravati is dotted by numerous fortune tellers, who are busy with customers approaching them to know their fortune.
Several pilgrims, after taking a holy dip in the river and clicking selfies with mobile phones, are enthusiastically making a beeline to the astrologers, who are predicting the formers’ fortune with the help of caged parrots and a deck of cards containing the images of deities. Interestingly, most of the people approaching the fortune tellers are seen searching for online alerts in their smart phones, time-to-time.
Admitting that their profession lost glory with the advent of technology and computerised horoscope, for some decades, Narasimham, a parrot astrologer, said that they get an opportunity to earn some money during occasions like Pushkarams where the congregation of public is more than on normal days.
“We usually go around villages in normal days, but find only a handful of customers. During such mega occasions, we make a camp at the venue, expecting a good turnout. Of course, we know that the present generation does not believe in the fortune we predict, based on the image on the card picked up by a parrot. But, owing to the pressure from their elders, they are approaching us and giving parrot astrology a try,” he added.
Narasimham hastens to add that most of their customers included girls, who are evincing interest in knowing about their career, marriage life and other aspects.