Sunday, May 26, 2002		Books

The magic and the myth of numbers
Peeyush Agnihotri

Magic Numbers: A Guide to Numerology
by V. K. Sharma, Diamond Pocked Books, Delhi. Pages 242. Rs 195

— Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

THERE are no in betweens. Either there are firm believers of fate and astrology or there are those who pooh-pooh it. The latter category believes in shaping its own destiny and life path while for the former one, stars, numbers, Vaastu, Feng Shui and all that man has yet to comprehend guides one's luck and fate.

For those who fall in first category, here is a book that says a man's destiny is governed by numbers and that the way in which a person spells and writes his or her name can decide on how a person will fare in life. The author, who rubbishes other astrologer's claims and predictions and almost gloats about his, avers that numerology is far more superior to other forms of astrology like reading a horoscope.

The initial pages of the book have more to do with mental maths and 'mathemagic' than with the predictions. The book calls it magic box and advises the readers who are of particular number type to use a set magic box. How, where and when is a big question mark.

Then the author goes on to discuss the general nature of numbers. The book categorises all living human beings of the world (over 6 billion persons in all) into nine types - The number 1 people (born on 1, 10, 19, 28) to number 9 people (born on 9, 18, 27) and discusses their physique, profession, nature and the disease they are likely to suffer from though this reviewer has come across many live contradictions.

After discussing horary (which hour is governed by which planet), lucky number vis-a-vis house direction and graphotology (graph depicting vibrations of astral number) in just a few pages, the book moves on to discuss the nature, lucky colour, gems, direction, metal, important years, profession and health of each number born under different zodiac signs.

The 'remarkable' part is that an Aries number 6 behaves almost similarly as a Taurus number 6 or for that matter a Scorpio number 6. Out of the 21 points listed just a few are different. This holds true for all numbers under each Zodiac Sun Sign though one is left wondering on how could that be.

For those who know something about numerology this book doesn't offer anything new. For the beginners, it could get a bit complicated.