Our daily newspapers carry our zodiac’s readings, predicting
that we should meet up with friends in the evening, let no one ride roughshod
over us during the day, etc, etc. We know about our mothers visiting either this
“Baje” or that one, with our “cheena,” or birth charts, trying to figure out a
way of calming our “Shani Graha.” We may also have friends interested in
palmistry. In short, we aren’t without knowledge or experience of astrology and
its various sidekicks. It’s not to deny that there’s truth in it. But these
days, the major generalization of predictions and “guesses” leave us slightly
skeptic, or have us entirely raise our eyebrows.
However,
photojournalist Shankar Byanjankar, 26, holds no belief in astrology. He says,
“Last year, in November, I had to visit City Centre Mall for some work. I was
with a friend, and since we had some time to spare, we decided to go over to the
jyotish who was sitting in a corner on the third floor. I had never been to any
astrologer or a palmist before and I don’t believe in such
things.”
Laughing, he adds, “I’m already married and a father of a
daughter. But when I asked him when I would get married, he told me it would be
soon and that I would have a son. For Rs 110, it just confirmed my belief that
these things are fakes.”
Perhaps, in this competitive world, our pundits
and Jyotish Bajes also think it worth their while to venture out from their
mystical world and be able to read not only between the lines but also those
seemingly weird lines on our palms. From private readings at their own houses,
they have moved on to visit their clients, called “jajman,” for house pujas and
also have their own offices for those many in pursuit of slaying their inner
demons.
Jyotish Chakra Subedi, 53, has been involved in astrology for the
past 30 years. Originally from Gaighat in Udaypur, he studied astrology at the
Veda Vedanga Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya in Benaras. Also simply known as “Guruji,”
he worked in Everest Casino in New Baneshwor for 15 years (1996-2011) as an
astrology adviser. He also worked for the Nepali edition of VOW magazine where
he wrote horoscopes each month. Currently, Guruji is fully involved in his own
office, the Rajyog Jyotish Anusandhan Kendra at Thaiti (Tha Hiti)
Chowk.
He says, “I work all seven days a week. I’m either in my office,
or when I’m called to conduct pujas, I visit some homes. I practice palmistry,
make cheenas, and people also come to consult their own cheenas. When I conduct
pujas, it’s mostly for “Graha Shanti.” My office is open from 8 am to 5 pm, and
appointments are most welcome.”
Another example of one with little faith
in pundits and “Jyotish Bajes” is Saajan Gurung. Saajan, 23, lives in Thamel and
is a recent graduate of Diploma in Fashion Design.
He recalls, “My cousin
sister and I used to go for early morning jogs. One day, she took me to a place
in Rani Pokhari. She’s a believer in these things. So I went along with her. We
had a friend along that day with us. We had to buy tickets for Rs 20 each and we
had to queue up along with 20 other visitors. When our turn finally came, the
Baje took my hand in his but looked at my forehead and started asking me
questions and giving predictions. Well, he did have the number of my siblings
correct but I think I told him the answer myself when he was questioning me. My
sister was quite satisfied with the Baje but I wasn’t. However, I did have a
tiny moment of shock when the Baje managed to give me the initials of the girl
who had a crush on me.”
He further says, “I know that people start queuing up
at the place since 5 o’clock in the morning. There’s a particular day when he
closes shop, but then he visits peoples’ houses on request that day.”
Be
a skeptic, a believer, or consider it nothing more than hogwash, but you can’t
escape astrology. The horoscopes, the Bahun Bajes with their smart parrots on
the sidewalks of busy streets, the locally famous Jyotishis, like the one in
Kapan, who is simply known as “Kapanko Baje,” it’s all a part of our lives and
our lifestyle, in one way or another.
Therefore, the most important
question comes down to this: Should we just believe in all the good parts and
ignore the rest of the predictions?
Ask the greenest parrot on the Tundikhel
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