Eminent scientist Venki Ramakrishnan was awarded the coveted Nobel Prize for Chemistry on 9th October, 2009. He had rubbished Astrology as a pseudo science. There were wide spread uproar and critical comments over his statement. On 06.07.1930, in the editorial of ‘Kudi Arasu’, ‘Thanthai’ Periyar had also rubbished Astrology as absolutely irrational.
The content of the editorial was as follows:
Dear readers, nearly three decades have passed in this 20th century. Ours is a civilised society with great advancement in scientific spirit and rationalist outlook, but most people still cling to pseudo science prevailing in many forms such as Astrology, Palmistry, horoscope, Sun and Moon signs, planetary influences, stars, auspicious time and inauspicious time. We should draw such gullible people from the darkness of ignorance.
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Reasoning power:
Only human beings have been endowed in nature with an ability to reason. This power makes us different from animals. It should be wisely used by us to get rid of misconceptions, blind faith and wrong perceptions. Belief in Astrology makes us absolutely irrational. It has ruined many precious lives.
Astrologers all around us hood-wink people in multiple ways. They probe into the month, day, date and time of birth and come out with various predictions. How can the time of birth be accurate? Does it mean the time a life was formed in the womb or the time of its deliverance? How can it be precisely determined? The nurse might have delayed revealing the exact time. Other causes could have led to an error in recording the time of birth. When there is such an uncertainty, how can an astrologer predict anything about the new born, relying on the time recorded by the hospital? Does it not sound absolutely ridiculous?
People in villages come out with months and dates recalling certain incidents, occasions and various other factors. How can an astrologer rely on such particulars and predict the future of an individual? Some astrologers use the name of a person for predictions. Family members give a name that would have undergone changes later. A name is meant merely for an identity. How can one’s life be predicted relying just on the name?
Multiple tricks
Astrologers analyse even the horoscopes of parents and relatives to say something about a new born child. Does it not seem silly? I have heard of astrologers who shower predictions after asking people to specify a number or the name of a flower. Some tricksters use themselves as touchstones to predict the future of others. It is mind-boggling indeed.
A few others pretend to have found something ill-ominous in a horoscope and suggest making amends to set it right. If the defects are rectified, the horoscope itself should be bogus, shouldn’t it? Besides, people waste huge amounts performing rituals suggested by these tricksters.
33 births per minute:
It is said that 33 babies are born in India every minute, at various places in various cities. When these 33 babies grow up, would the lives of all be similar? I learnt from a book that 4158 kids are born in India within 126 minutes; at the rate of 33 births per minute. Most of them might have been born in identical positions of planets stars and zodiac signs could the lives of most of these 4158 individuals be similar when they grow up? We have seen that the temperament, likes and dislikes of two individuals born under the same zodiac sign, are not similar at all.
How can thousands of people born in the world at one particular time, be leading an identical life with the same kind of mind set and attitude? This is really puzzling. Would all the occurrences and experiences in all their lives be alike? Faults lie in us but we keep blaming stars and planets that are objects of nature. Our people fail to use their ability to reason. This is the root cause of their irrational behaviour.
Can this ever be denied?
Criminals and Victims
If a criminal murders someone as predetermined by his horoscope, the victim who dies must also have had his death predetermined by his horoscope. Does it seem believable? Many culprits undergo imprisonments on multiple occasions on various charges. Were all the imprisonments foretold by their horoscopes? How are we to believe it?
Thieves barge into houses and steal. If it was foretold by their horoscopes that they would become thieves, the people who face the loss of articles by the theft should also have had their loss predicted through their horoscopes. Does this seem credible?
Marriage disasters
Many marriages are called off and proposals are dropped if the horoscope of the girl does not match that of the boy. A Mars-born girl is expected to marry only a Mars-born boy. This ridiculous match making process has caused many of our girls leading life as spinsters. Horoscopes are infact horrorscopes in my opinion. They ruin lives and hinder marriages.
There are people who do not possess a horoscope. I have found them leading a happy and peaceful life. I have also seen marriages arranged by the match of horoscopes ending up in disasters. Couples get separated owing to incompatibility. Therefore I feel that self-respect marriages are ideal because they ignore all the irrational concepts.
Inauspicious time
Astrologers threaten people indicating inauspicious time and advise family events commencing at an auspicious time. This is another fallacy. I believe every second in our life is good for anything. There is nothing good or bad; thinking makes it so. Couples getting married at an auspicious time sometimes do not lead a compatible life. Most of us waste a number of days every year staying inactive owing to the fear of inauspicious time. Productive work is hindered by this blind belief. Readers of the younger generation must get rid of such fears.
I have heard of people requesting doctors to put off delivery of a child until the favourable day and time. This has been going on at the risk of the life of the mother and the child. I am sure astrologers are behind this unreasonable fear.
Palmistry and other idiocies
The lines on our palms are acts of Nature. How can they determine the course of our life? I have seen palmists pretending to have amazing skills and predicting good and bad occurrences. Parrots are also used by astrologers for predictions. People leave the sidewalk cheerfully or sorrowfully depending on the forecast. People make amends to plug the loopholes in their horoscope. If imminent grief can be avoided by meaningless rituals, it could only mean that the horoscope itself is imperfect. Why should we blame one another, reposing our confidence in imperfect horoscopes? Let us all think over all these and stay away from astrologers, palmists and other tricksters.
Source: ‘Kudi Arasu’ dated 06.07.1930
Translated by: M.R. Manohar
