The Hindu : Kerala News : Soothsayers in great demand

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Thursday, Dec 04, 2008
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Kerala

Soothsayers in great demand

R. Ramabhadran Pillai

Future reading has gone hi-tech with services on the Internet also

People, irrespective of religion, make use of services offered by astrologers and allied cadres.

KOCHI: Unravelling the mysteries of the future is a passion for a few and a fascination for many. Be it astrology, numerology, vaasthu or reiki, the number of people getting attracted to the art of reading the future is on the rise. While there are experts offering these services to a vast number of clientele, the less knowledgeable and charlatans too thrive in a society eager to have a look into the unknown.

On the Internet

The times have changed, but the quest to know more about one’s future fails to fade away. The arrival of the web has enabled many people to access the services on the net.

Thus, modern tools have facilitated the spread of astrology and other streams of future reading.

Astro-vision, a Kochi-based company making software on astrology and allied services, has been steadily progressing. The company is expecting 100 per cent jump in its business this year, says its Executive Director, Binod Hariharan, who is a qualified engineer.

The company has tied up with Reliance Webworld and a host of other service providers to offer astro consultancy services. The service is being utilised by people outside India too.

Software for astrologers

The company had started its activity by providing software enabling astrologers to get into the mathematical calculations pertaining to the position of the planets in relation to time.

It was well received by a large number of astrological service centres. The software is produced in 10 Indian languages apart from German and Sinhala.

The demand from more people prompted the company to take up expansion and today, millions are getting the facility worldwide through matrimonial service portals as well as value added services of telecom service providers.

The company has a team of expert astrologers to back up the services, according to Mr. Binod.

How is the growth of astrology and allied services accounted for in modern times? The fundamentals of astrology are strong that it will continue to exert its sway among the masses, says V. S. Ramakrishnan Nayar, president of Centre of Astrological Research & Development, Kochi. He conducts classes in astrology for which there has been a steady stream of learners of all ages ever since it started in 1986. More than 23,000 people have completed the six-month course so far, he says.

High tide

The flow of blood in the body increases during the time of high tide. “This points to a direct influence of the moon on the motion of fluids on earth”, says Mr. Nayar. Further, an oyster from which the pearl is received, opens its mouth during high tide even if it is kept in a dark room, he says, emphasising that the planets exert influence through the energy discharged by them.

The planetary energy at the time of the birth of four children belonging to the same household will be different and hence the children grow with different features even if all of them are given same food and other amenities. The lifespan of a person is determined at the time of conception itself.

The energy of the body withstands the negative energy from outside, but there is a stage when the body will not be able to withstand, he says.

The power of gemstones on the human body has also got a rational explanation, according to Mr.Nayar.

It is often misguided information that is passed on to the people by the less knowledgeable, he says.

How does he explain the failure of marriages despite matching of horoscopes? “The astrologer should find out whether the nature of the bride and groom matches. A learned astrologer can say how the duo will behave.”

About 90-95 per cent of people, irrespective of religious background, make use of services offered by astrologers and allied cadres, observes Sreedevan , another astrologist.

The trend is set to strengthen irrespective of man’s endeavour to unravel the secrets of the universe by sending missions to moon and beyond.

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