KOCHI: Astrologer P K Vasudevanunni Panicker of Tripunithura is busy these days attending to his customers. The only difference is that instead of in-person, these consultations are being held over Zoom and Google Hangouts. The practitioners of one of the ancient branches of Vedic science in Kerala is the latest to embrace digital technology for consultations due to the pandemic.
“Though the Covid-19 outbreak has led to a 50 per cent drop in walk-in customers, there is a growing demand for online consultations with people reaching out to us to know what the future holds for them in these changed circumstances and how things will turn out,” he said.
Manoj Nambiar of Astro-online Astrology Centre says more people are connecting through online platforms to fix a time and date for auspicious occasions like house warming and marriages. “Though several astrologers in the state had launched online portals for consultations a couple of years ago, it is only now that these are being used. We are getting calls from people who are worried about the upheaval caused by the pandemic,” he said.
Sujith Panicker of Kannika Parameshwhari Jyothishalaya said live online video facilities are proving to be immensely helpful in remote consultations. “We do the usual delineation of horoscopes using ‘cowries’ (sea shells) during live video calls for predictions,” he said. Kadavanthra resident Geetha P said she availed of the services of an astrologer online to fix an auspicious time for a family event. “These days, it’s quite easy to fix an online appointment with astrologers.
A web search itself will show a dozen portals of astrologers offering online services. In a way, online consultations are easier as we can avoid the hassle of travelling and waiting,” she said. Prajish Raj Vetticode of Sreerudram Jyothisha Nilayam said though online consultations have picked up during the pandemic, in-person consultations will return once the situation becomes normal. “The majority of people prefer the old way where we sit with a client in person and discuss the issues,” he said.
The future
● Live online video facilities are proving to be immensely helpful in remote consultations
●Though several astrologers in the state had launched online portals for consultations a couple of years ago, it is only now that these are being used, after the lockdown