‘Indian astrology based on karma. Western astrology, on fate’

Journalist Garima Garg, says she wrote the book, to explore the lived paradox of astrology between cultures. Pic/Nishad Alam

For the longest time, ancient cultures and civilisations feared comets. More so, because they were so rare. In cosmology these "cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust that orbit the Sun" were harbingers of bad luck. "A comet seen in an Earth sign such as Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn foretold a disaster related to the Earth, such as droughts and famine. And so, spotting one in a water sign meant floods, fire signs meant wars, and air signs meant mighty winds and airborne diseases. Because they represented something huge, comets were often bad news for kings and important men of society. It is said that comets were observed around the deaths of Roman emperors Augustus and Constantine the Great as well as the warlord Attila the Hun, among others," writes journalist Garima Garg in her new book, Heavens and Earth: The Story of Astrology Through Ages and Cultures (Penguin Random House). It's perhaps why comet Neowise, seen once in 6,800 years, and which last appeared in March 2020 - the year of "Coronavirus and major socio-cultural and political disturbances around the world" - will be remembered for years to come, adds Garg.

The Delhi-based writer's curiosity about the science of planetary bodies and astrological phenomena, took root while she was studying journalism at the Columbia University, New York. Ironic, she admits, considering that astrology has been characterised as a divinatory practice, and should least inspire any journalist encouraged to develop scientific temper. "But for me it wasn't astrology per se that was of interest, but how the subject was being perceived in different parts of the world. As I engaged with friends in America, I realised the popularity of astrology, especially among the young and progressive. How the West saw it, and how Indians understood it was very different," she says, explaining, "Among Indians, for some reason, the focus seems to be on foretelling the future, but Americans seem to be using it as a spiritual tool for self-discovery and understanding the purpose of life... many of them are deeply invested in how it works. I wanted to explore this paradox," she says.

The origins of astrology is in cosmology, "which studies the origin of the universe and everything it includes" and which began at the dawn of human civilisation. Garg shares that the underlying belief across most world cosmologies was that of interconnectedness - ‘as above, so below'. "The instinct was scientific... but it was based on approximations," she says. It's what led them to mimic cosmic patterns in daily life: "For instance, astronomers of yore, through approximations of diameters and distances, estimated that you could fit in 108 moons between the Moon and the Earth, and 108 suns between the Sun and Earth. The number then became auspicious and shows up as a significant part of Hindu practices from 108 beads in prayer rosary beads, 108 pressure points in the body in marma ayurvedic massage," she writes. Astrology evolved as ancient societies started "observing, recording and interpreting" cosmological patterns. For some, it became their religion. This, she says, made the ancients feel that they could control and exercise free will, at least to some degree, to an already uncertain existence overrun by natural disasters and epidemics. "Astrology won out of favour somewhere around the 17th century. Two radical changes occurred around this time. First is the Enlightenment Era, when a more logical and rational way of thinking was encouraged," says Garg. "Second, was the rise of the Roman Catholic Church. Astrology threatened the Vatican's authority to shape public discourse on God and the cosmos, and came to be seen as immoral."

Closer home, Vedanga Jyotish, one of the six parts of the Vedas, became the basis of Indian astrology. "Initially, it was used to find an auspicious time [muhurta], to conduct a ritual sacrifice... it was down the line, following interactions with the Babylonian and Greek system that jyotish evolved into how we understand it today, [which is astrology of the individual]". "What sets Indian astrology apart is that it is based on karma, while Western astrology is based on fate. Fate is something that happens to you and has to be accepted, while karma is what you carry with you from another lifetime [a person's actions in one life influence what happens to him/her in future lives]. In a way, karma gives fate a logical basis."

Garg confesses that until she started researching for the book, she had little interest in astrology. "I would read my horoscope in the newspaper, and that was about it..." But as she delved deeper, she realised how astrology has been "misunderstood and misused" over time. "Astrologers claim to figure out your future, and being able to change your destiny. Astrology is also mocked by many, and reduced to complete garbage. In the book, I don't take sides. I just want to highlight that people who criticise it or even show excessive belief in it, should be absolutely sure of what they are talking about."