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It’s written in the stars
After a year filled with financial woes and social insecurity, 2010 offers hope of better days to come. Internationally renowned astrologer Bejan Daruwalla, who was in Dubai to ring in the New Year, gives us a peek into the future
- PUBLISHED: Mon 4 Jan 2010, 9:54 PM UPDATED: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 12:30 PM
Is there anyone among us who can resist the lure of the future? We might guard our private lives and emotions from even the closest of friends and relatives. But in the presence of an astrologer our hands automatically extend for an impromptu look into the future. And it is precisely this facet of one’s life that Indian astrologer-columnist and author Bejan Daruwalla excels in. In town to attend the Ninth World Zoroastrain Congress, Daruwalla, resplendent in a maroon shirt emblazoned with images of the stars and the planets he swears by, was more than happy to share his expertise with City Times.
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And it is not Dubai’s future alone that has him in high spirits. “Have no worries. For Dubai is headed towards more prosperous time ahead. The presence of water makes this place, pure, connected and powerful,” said Daruwalla.
The astrologer is the first to admit that not all his predictions have come true. “I am first and foremost a human being - sometimes I go wrong,” he states midway through the interview. But it is his accurate predictions like the victory of Barack Obama in the recent American elections and the Oscar win for India in 2009 that has made him a byword in astrology in India and abroad. Having started his working life as a Professor of English in Ahmedabad, Daruwalla still retains some of the ‘lecturer’ in himself - often dictating with special emphasis on getting the spellings just right. Like a juggler throwing balls in the air, he shoots forth questions, most of which hit the mark, with only a few going off target.
“Astrology is a combination of an intuitive feeling and acquired knowledge,” asserts the 78-year old, an ardent Ganesha devotee, who says he first realised his powers at the age of five. Daruwalla uses a combination of Indian and Western astrology with palmistry and tarot card reading to access one’s nature before venturing into the uncharted territory of the future.
Among one of his more potent predictions was the one he made about pop idol Michael Jackson in 2005: “Michael Jackson was born to be a star. He has also paid the price for it in full. The next three years will be painful, critical and perhaps humiliating for this superstar. As modern cynics like to say, “Life is a b---- and then you die.”
But for all who seek a quick fix remedy to the ills of the world, Daruwalla has one advice: “Astrology is only a part of life. At the end of the day human relationships are of utmost importance.”
Quiz him on the umpteen number of rings he sports on his fingers and he is equally dismissive: “These are just for beauty. I could of course fool you by claiming each one is for a specific purpose, but I wear it mainly because I like them!”
Aries (March 21- April 19)
Strengths: Aries is active, energetic, excitable and impulsive, optimistic; open to change and new experiences.
Weaknesses: Haste, impetuousness, rashness, over agression. Prone to accidents involving fire and high speed.
Lucky day and numbers: Tuesday, 1 and 9.
Birthstones: Coral and diamond - attracts love, financial success and brings luck in new ventures.
Colours: Red, scarlet and carmine.
Forecast: In the tug of war of life, your intuition and sense of timing and God’s grace will certainly help you succeed, thanks to the influence of Jupiter. But separations and disagreements are also there. These will be spread out between October 13, 2009 to October 5, 2012, the period of major influence of Saturn. Try to adjust to people - I know this is particularly difficult for you, but that’s the lesson destiny has for you, and therein will you gain, grow and prosper.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Strengths: Taurus is quite affectionate, patient, stable, determined and practical, stubborn and resistant to change.
Weaknesses: Rigidity, stubbornness, tendancy to be overly possessive and materialistic.
Lucky day and numbers: Friday, 6 and 4.
Birthstones: Turquoise and emerald - to protect against infidelity and deceit, ensure loyalty and improve memory.
Colours: Pale blue, yellow, pink and pale green.
Forecast: Ganesha says friendship, sudden and possiblly unexpected gains, also promotion, perks, joy through children and group activities are the positives. Travel, contacts and trade will take top priority. But the necessity for health-care and precautions, differences and disputes with colleagues, servants, subordinates, debts and damage are the dangers. Nothing in life is perfect.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
Strengths: Gemini is lively, energetic, versatile and intellectual, lives primarily in the mind than the emotions and is extremely adaptable to new situations.
Weaknesses: Gossiping, superficiality, using words to mislead or misinform, hurting others with harsh speech.
Lucky day and numbers: Wednesday, 5 and 9.
Birthstones: Emerald and agate - protect from deception and falsehood, and bestow eloquence, especially in declarations of love.
Colours: Yellow and slate grey.
Forecast: You are as the Americans say, “The best of the best and at the top of your game.” it means 2010 is your lucky and powerful year. Name and fame, money and honey, love, laughter and luck go with you. You will be the cynosure and centre of both admiration and attraction.
Cancer (June 21- July 22)
Strengths: Cancer is receptive, sensitive and imaginative, sympathetic, kind emotional and active, shrewd and intuitive
Weaknesses: Negativity and over-sensitivity. Moody, clingy, self-pitying and self-absorbed.
Lucky day and numbers: Monday, 3 and 7.
Birthstone: Pearl - changes bad fortune into good and discord into harmony. It also brings support from influential people.
Colours: White, opal, iridescent silvery hues, smoky grey, sea-green and blue.
Forecast: On the domestic front, you may suffer. There may be seperations and difficulties in relationships. The extent of it will depend upon your karma and dharma. Ganesha says, you will make news, travel, and win name and fame. Your creativity and ideas will be widely accepted and appreciated. You will have a great time. Work wise March, July and November will be outstanding.
Leo (July23 - August 22)
Strengths: Leo is enthusiastic, powerful, expansive and creative, generous and extravagant.
Weaknesses: Dogmatic and fixed in opinion, melodramatic, domineering, vain, stubborn, and pretentious.
Lucky day and numbers: Sunday, 8 and 9.
Birthstone: Ruby - protects againt physical injury and ensures faithfulness. It also brings its wearer serenity of mind.
Colours: Orange, gold, rich shades of yellow and brown.
Forecast: Ganesha says, money and honey make a special team for you. Add to this travel, trade, relatives, communication, transport, all media of expression and you get the picture. Aggression, or displays of temper will be self-defeating and foolish. Accidents cannot be ruled out too.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Strengths: Scorpio is imaginative, passionate and emotional, subtle, persistent, intense, obstinate and unyielding.
Weaknesses: Selfish, disrespectful, dictating, envious, cunning, sarcastic, merciless and arrogant.
Lucky day and numbers: Tuesday, 2 and 4.
Birthstones: Coral and topaz - release occult powers and brings serenity of mind. They also protect from enemies and illness.
Colours: Dark red, maroon, crimson and colours of smoky cloud formations.
Forecast: High voltage creativity and therefore tremendous achievements, hard work and matching rewards but huge expenses, ill health of family members, breaks and separations in relationships seems possible. Your courage and proverbial stamina however sees you through. So no need to worry too much.
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Strengths: Aquarius is assertive, independent, progressive, analytical, original and inventive. Has strong dislikes and firm opinions.
Weaknesses: Fixed ideas, rebelliousness for its own sake, coldness, can also be eccentric at times and so may be attacked by narrow-minded people.
Lucky day and number: Wednesday, 1 and 7.
Birthstone: Amethyst - brings faithfulness in love and bestows the gift of prescience.
Colours: Aquamarine, turquoise and electric blue.
Forecast: Ganesha says a list of goodies for you: food, finance, family, travel and high education. Above all a chance to grow, evolve and be all that you want to be. This period will be a straight run till October 5, 2012. A year to go places, make news and get to be yourself. Yes, you have it made.
Virgo (August 23- September 22)
Strengths: Virgo is reserved, modest, practical, discriminating and industrious, analytical and painstaking, seeking to know and understand.
Weaknesses: Sceptical, fussy, inflexible, unemotional, cold and interfering.
Lucky day and numbers: Wdnesday, 3 and 5.
Birthstones: Emerald and sapphire - bring tranquility of mind and protects against illness and injury while travelling.
Colours: Shades of green, dark brown and slate.
Forecast: The focus, sharp and clear is on finance, family, marriage, partnerships, travel and more importantly, a healthier life - mentally, physically, morally and spiriltualy. In other words, the pressures and pulls will be far less, the joy and sunshine more.
Sagittarius
(November 22 - December 21)
Strengths: Sagittarius is energetic, ambitious, generous, freedom-loving and a seeker of challenge, open to new ideas and exploration.
Weaknesses: Jealous, possessive, rude, can be over-optimistic and also exaggerates at times.
Lucky day and numbers: Thursday, 5 and 7.
Birthstones: Topaz and turquoise - attract love, protects from harm, and give the wearer the ability to see into the future.
Colours: Rich purple, violet, indigo.
Forecast: A golden year assures Ganesha. Friends, perks, promotions, gains, gaiety, children, entertainment and property will come your way. Just see that you do not overreach yourself. Perform charity for deserving. It will help you and enrich you in a totally different way.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Strengths: Libra is active, artistic, easygoing, peaceloving, prizes beauty and harmony, diplomatic, polished and very socially inclined.
Weaknesses: Superficial, vain, indecisive and unreliable.
Lucky day and number: Friday, 6 and 9.
Birthstone: Opal. Brings financial success, frees its wearer from jealousy and greed and imparts clear insight.
Colours: Blue and white.
Forecast: Ganesha says tremendous pressures and mighty achievements are your destiny. Sorrows and joys will be a part of your life. It is a year of extremes. Perks, promotion and pets spur you onto progress. Care in relationships is a must. Luckily, Mars, will give you the courage and the energy to face all the opposition. Pray to God, do good deeds and be kind to yourself. Learn to be firm in your decisions. Above all, think your decisions through carefully before taking at a final stance.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Strengths: Sure-footed, reserved, seeks security, acquisitive, cautious, disciplined and determined.
Weaknesses: Pessimistic, gets pulled into depression, undue materialism and is conservative.
Lucky day and numbers: Saturday, 2 and 8.
Birthstone: Garnet, attracts popularity, high-esteem and true love.
Colours: Dark grey and green, black, dark brown and indigo.
Forecast: Ganesha says for you Capricornians - especially the time span of Saturn, namely October 13, 2009 to October 5, 2010 - acts as one single unit in terms of grand achievement. Yes, the health of in-laws, parents and elders will give you anxiety and worry. That is the downside of it. Nothing in life is ever perfect. Finance, family, travel will lead to gains and joy.
Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Strengths: Pisces is receptive, intuitive and emotional, imaginative, romantic, impressionable, mystical, adaptable and very changeable.
Weaknesses: Often always in doubt, not serious in life, lackadasical, complicated, impractical and imbalanced.
Lucky day and numbers: Friday, 2 and 6.
Birthstones: Cats-eye and aquamarine - magnifies occult powers and brings serenity of mind, it also protects it’s wearer while travelling on sea.
Colours: Mauve, purple, violet, sea-green and silver.
Forecast: 2010 is your year under the sun. Fame, fortune, glory, money and honey are all yours - almost for the asking. But do be careful of your health. Money you will have, but bad investments and impractical projects could results in losses. It would be best to socialise, have friends and have lots of fun rather than chase money too hard.