From past few years, the science of Astrology has undergone a tremendous change, and it has also gained some reputation as well. Thanks to the new crop of news channels with a fancy crowd of tarot readers, coffee readers, self imposed psychics and unknown astrology experts. While these flamboyant people can be a serious source of amusement for a learned, they are treated as serious researchers by that layman out there. This is the part, which can really torment a sensitive brain. I mean, a mere look at those tarot readers can tell you that they are not even aware of basics of astrology and yet they are playing with everybody's emotions. And they are not the only people involved; media has also got a piece in the cake.



If you are serious astrologer, you would really get baffled by the sway of commercialization in the purest spirit called astrology. I mean just look around you, a cell phone with a mantra ringtone, a newspaper with twelve predictions, spread for more than 100 Million population, a Short message service (SMS) alert for Future, a TV astrologer selling mantras as vegetables. It seems realization has gone very cheap. As cheap as a thirty bucks cassette with some lone singer's mantra engraved on the magnetic tape with all that incorrect pronunciation of Sanskrit syllables. Predictions are cheap as some pocket size booklet which you can purchase on any book outlet. Nobody even dares to talk about truth. Nobody is a culprit but except us, the common men. We have turned away the truth that something which is exceptional like a prediction cannot be so easy. We have turned away from the truth that molding the laws of nature cannot be as damn easy as a, thug's reading from that left over coffee in our cup. All this is happening because we wanted it that way. Think of those desperate parents who want to do anything to get their daughter married who is losing her age, think of that young lad who is not getting a permanent job, after so many distressed attempts in numerous companies. Our business, our laziness, our easy go disposition, has harvested and watered the so called crop of thugs.

Everybody is running after the crispy paper from the mint house, no matter what one has to do, one just do it without looking for consequences. Sometimes I feel that the laws should be stricter in our country. So strict, that thugs can't run their shops. Astrologers should be charged thirty times of their fees, if the predictions go wrong. Tantrics should be charged fifty times of their fees, if results proclaimed do not materialize. But frankly, it will never happen. After all this is the system. Everybody is a part of this system. A newest example is those (So called) saints, who were exposed in a sting operation. They were charging commissions for turning the black money to legitimate money. None of those culprits were caught. They are still out, still spreading their pravanchans (preaching) on those money hungry channels.

This is the dilemma, the same population which considered them culprits after the sting, now consider them saints. Our memories have weakened, may be because it is outside our family. It does not matter to us, because none of us got involved directly in it. So, no need to stop them. But one day, this virus will definitely enter our lives and then it will be too late. Turn me off, but on that day, there will be no panacea.

Alok Jagawat