Sunday, September 21, 2003		Books

Quake astrology
Peeyush Agnihotri

Predicting Earthquakes and Calamities
by Lachhman Das Madan. Bharat Press, New Delhi. Pages 256. Rs 1,400.

SCIENTISTS the world over are working overtime to figure out foolproof methods of earthquake and natural calamity prediction. Since these disasters are governed by neither arithmetic progression nor geomorphological rationale, any forecast of such events can at best be mere conjecture. The realm of scientific and logical prediction is limited. No harm then if such natural devastating calamities, which bring untold miseries along, are predicted through the ‘supernatural.’

The author of this book, Lachhman Das Madan, has stepped into a sphere where even seismologists fear to tread. He has attempted to predict earthquakes and natural calamities through astrology and, going by his claims, has been successful 150 times (he even attaches documentary proof to support his claim). This businessman, who was honoured with the International Business Excellence Award during his heydays, hails from a family of astrologers and is the publisher of a reputed astrology magazine, Babaji.

The book starts with how the Vedas and Upanishads viewed seismological upheavals. He avers that it is "rather unfortunate" that Indian astrology doesn’t consider the role of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in predicting natural calamities. He says another unfortunate practice is to predict on the basis of birth/event, moon or navamasa charts alone. "These are necessary elements but the predictions made on the basis of these elements do not always come true. In making prediction one has to give adequate attention to constellations, functional planets, key planets for each horoscope, bhava chart, cusps, other divisional charts and inter-se position and relations of the planets." Chapter 2 of the book lists earthquakes that occurred throughout the world. Each of these have been explained on the basis of rashi and bhava kundli and a subtitle, "covering forecast," precedes them. "Covering forecast" is basically documentary evidence published before the occurrence of the event. For example, the astrologer in his magazine dated November 10, 1990 (Page 3, Vol. 114), predicted that an earthquake was to occur around Bihar between December 14, 1990 and January 26, 1991. It did, on December 17, 1990. This is just one instance. The book lists 14 such examples spanning across India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Tajikistan and Iran.

This chapter also delves into the astrological details of 11 devastating earthquakes of 1993 and the astrologer holds Mars, the fiery planet, responsible for these. A large number of major earthquakes have been astrologically analysed. The importance of national horoscope and relevance of a world kundli has also been discussed.

Chapter 3 discusses calamities expected over the next 10 years. For India, the nearest one is within 38 days of June 10, 2004, while for the USA it is "within about one month from August 25, 2003." Chapter 4 analyses horoscopes of various other countries. Chapter 5 and 6 discuss the role of each and every planet, zodiac sign and astral house in calamity prediction.

The book is interspersed with many natal charts and has a fair sprinkling of newspaper clippings, lauding the astrologer for his ability to forecast earthquakes. The astrologer deserves it if his technique of forearming through forecasting is able to save lives from what even science cannot fathom.