Those who decry Astrology should see the post on Super Moon which we posted on 10th. The Tsunami ( japanese for harbour wave ) struck on 11th, causing widespread destruction.
The Super Moon is a Full Moon. Full Moon means that the Moon is away from the Sun in Opposition and New Moon means the Moon is near the Sun in conjunction.
This phenomenon is known to astro savants and to the Indian mind, Astronomy, Astrology and Mathematics are epistemically correlated.
Some people, due to the influence of Anti Paganism, decry Astrology. This is because during early childhood, they have been taught by the ignorant priesthood that Astrology is hog wash !
The priesthood, sunk in Nescience, believes in the phenomenon of water turning into wine and such irrational miracles. They believe in the Immaculate Conception, which is not physiologically possible ! Another dogma is the Resurrection, which is not scientifically possible.
The Lunar Perigee ( when the Moon is closest to earth ) is called Supermoon and is believed to cause earthquakes and natural disasters.
That Moon causes tides is well known and Supermoon may affect tides.
On Mar 19, the Moon will be 221,567 miles from earth, the nearest point in 20 years.
There were Superomoons in 55,74,92 and 2005 and these years were characterised by extreme weather conditions.
Weatherman John Kettley said about the phenomenon on Mar 19th."A moon can't cause a geological event like an earthquake, but it will cause a difference to the tide. If that combines with certain weather conditions, then that could cause a few problems for coastal areas."
Astrologically, Sun will be at 334 degrees and Moon at 143 degrees.
As a remedial measure, the mantra of the Moon Om Saum Somaya Namah can be chanted. Also the Gayatri mantra, as natural calamities affect the psyche of universal humanity !
Om Bhoo Bhuvah Swah That savithur varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo yo no prachodayath
Some astronomers, who decry Astrology, says there wont be much problem during this phenomenon of Extreme Super Moon.
We are giving the Anti Thesis ( to the Astrological Theory of Lunar Perigee) here, the opinion of Pete Wheeler of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy.
Wheeler stated, "(The Earth will experience) just a lower than usual low tide and a higher than usual high tide around the time of the event, but nothing to get excited about."
"Remember in the past, planetary alignments were going to pull the sun apart. It didn't. Astrologers draw a very long bow most times. Normal king tides are about all I would expect out of this Super Moon prediction," he added.
The Web world is in fact, influenced by the Super Moon phenomenon and this is very much evident in Google trends, a public facility of Google Inc, based on Google Search, that shows how often a particular search-term is entered relative to the total search-volume across various regions of the world, and in various languages.
Within a few day, the Earth could be headed for a big showdown. Some experts also claimed that huge storms, earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural disasters will occur on Saturday, Mar 19. On the very day, the moon will swing around Earth more closely than it has in the past 18 years.
Extreme Super Moon is the term coined by those who are well versed in the Art of the Nine Revolving Heavens ( Astrology ).
Yesterday it rained heavily for more than two hours. Started from 0600PM and lasted till 0830 PM.
There is a saying in Malayalam " Kumbha mazhayil kathirum pookam " - that anything will sprout during the summer rains in the sidereal months of Aquarius.
Temperature may rise to more than 40 degrees in the sidereal months of Aquarius ( Kumbha ) and Pisces ( Meena ).
Kerala receives more than 400 mm rains during the summer. This comes as a big relief from the blistering heat. And when Kala Varsha ( South East Monsoon ) comes, people welcome it as a merciful release, even though it can wreak havoc on the "rural infrastructure" !
Till May 6, Jupiter will be in Pisces, in the 9th. The World Cup, therefore, will take place when Jupiter transits the 9th. Saturn will be in the favourable third. The only negative factor is that Mars will be moving over to the 8th, on 20th March. So things are looking good for India ! There may be slices of bad luck after 20th March.
Jupiter was in the Fifth, a favourable house, in Scorpio when India won the 1983 World Cup.
Imran Khan, the former Pak skipper, was on TV yesterday contradicting Petersen's view that the WC longish schedule is negative.
On the other hand, it is positive, he feels. The greatest threat a team can face is injuries. He cited the example of the Pak defeat in the 1987 final, when their 3 major players were injured.
Now India is also smarting from injuries. Praveen Kumar is flying to England for treatment and Sreeshant may be roped in. Asked about Sreeshanth, Imran said that Sreeshant is not a bad replacement. His oustwingers are excellent.
About the Pak skipper problem, Imran said that Misbah does not have adequate experience. The World Cup will be fiercely competitive, and Misbah simply do not have the experience to handle tough situations, which may arise. Misbah did play well yesterday, scoring 93 no and winning the match for Pakistan.
Imran said India are favourites and Sri Lanka are second favourites. But he warned that Pakistan can be the dark horse. Pak may enter the semis, upsetting the theory that Sri Lanka or SA, Australia, England and India may reach the semis.
Dhoni said he will convert pressure into responsibility.
There is a theory that India in 1983 had nothing to lose, as they were written off as underdogs, and hence they performed well, as they played without pressure. They were not a star studded side, like the present one, and was a team of bits and pieces players. Bits and players players are players capable of taking one or two wickets, and can score 30/40 runs. Not people who score 200 not out !
The present Indian team is star studded, with a lot of watchwinners. Sachin is the top scorer in ODIs with 200 no against SA, we have Yuvraj who created a record in the T20s by hitting six sixes in an over ( overtaking Sobers' and Shastri's performances, which was only in county cricket ), an explosive batsman in Sehwag and a blitzkreig batsman in Y Pathan. More experienced is this team than the 1983 squad. The only enemy India will face is pressure. As Trevor Bailey used to say " It is the situation". It is pressure which will be the no 1 enemy. Look at Pathan's last innings. When India were 113/8, the game was almost over. And Yathan played without any pressure. When he scored a hundred with 8 sixes and 8 fours, then pressure crept in. There was a chance for India to win and then when pressure came, he got out, giving the match on a platter to the South Africans !
It is easy for Dhoni to say he will change pressure into responsibility. If Indian players do not perform well, they would have let the 1 billion Indians down. They are playing before a 100,000 crowd, watched avidly by miliions of cricket crazy Indians. There is tremendous pressure on all teams, but more on India. When everybody thinks that India is favourite, pressure becomes enormous. But then, India are on their home ground and home ground advantage can be benign !
India's strength lies in her spinning allrounders. Yuvraj, Pathan, Sehwag, Sachin, Raina all can bowl and they are fairly well experienced. Another factor in their favour is the position of the heavens. Jupiter in Pisces is in the 3rd in India's national horoscope. Saturn in the 3rd is a redeemer !
India is currently placed 2nd in ODIs, ICC Rankings. Retaining that spot brings in another pressure situation ! Complacency should be avoided at all costs and anything can happen in one day cricket. Most of the teams are more or less equal. Australia, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka can stage upsets at any time. They have better fast bowlers than India !. ( Allan Border is of the view that Aussies with three genuine fast bowlers will lift the Cup )
It is to be noted that this will be Sachin's last World Cup. He has created all records except one. He is not like, like Kapil Dev, a member of the WC victors ! What greater gift can be there than consecrating the WC to Sachin Tendulkar ?
Climate Change, wrought about by Global Warming, has had its impact on Kerala.
The Solar transit of Alpha Aquilae is on. From Feb 6th onwards, the Sun will transit Alpha Delphini ( Dhanishta or Avittam ).
The longish North East Monsoon, and the retreating coldness which came later, saw the temperature rise in Kerala. Now it is 35 degree Celsius. In Palghat, 38 degrees were recorded.
Cold ocean winds reduce the heat. These winds have started operation quite earlier than last year.
Hot air rises high in the atmosphere and the cold winds from the ocean fill this void. These winds are there from 1100 AM onwards, coming from the Bay of Bengal. These winds reduce the temperature of the land.
Intense heat is beginning to be felt in Trichur and Palghat. Irrigation has been started in agri lands and this time it was started earlier than usual. Normally irrigation start from the sidereal month of Sagittarius or Dhanus ( from 15 Dec onwards ).
Even though rains have been above the average last year, still potable water problem will persist. From the latter half of February onwards these winds will retreat, making Kerala a very hot place ! Palghat may record heat more than 40 degrees Celsius ( the highest temp recorded last year ).
It is relief for Keralites that the dusty Palghat winds have not strengthened now. Diseases are propagated by these winds.
The current climate - because of the longish monsoons - is favourable for mango trees now. But then if the winds acquire more power, tender mangoes and flowers will fall.
There are reasons for the premature heat experienced now. Climatic changes and the changing rhythms of Kala Varsha ( South West Monsoon ) and Thula Varsha ( North East Monsoon ) are the causative factors. The South West Monsoon exited only after 27 days than normal. The North East Monsoon gave rains till the 15th of December.
Once the rains retreated, cold climate was felt till mid Jan.
Rising temperature has been reported in Kerala. The annual temperature is rising, according to the stats from Trichur, Trivandrum and Kottayam centers. The temp of the water on Trichur paddy fields in now 35 degrees Celsius. The normal temp is 30 degrees.
The summer rains which come in March and April keep the temperature stable in Kerala. Heat comes down in the rain falling areas. But then this will not solve the potable water problem. To the drinking water problem, Rainwater Harvesting has been recommended as the solution.
The sidereal months of Sagittarius and Capricorn constitute Hemanta Rithu. The coldness has not left Kerala. This Hemanta Rithu will be there till the 12th of February.
Sisira Rithu, the sidereal months of Aquarius and Pisces, is very hot indeed. It normally starts from the 13th of February to the 13th April ! During this sixth season of India, hot spells are normal and more than 100 people perished last year due to sunstroke.
Now it is still cold in the morning and even during midday. No need for air conditioners during this season.
Evening is also characterised by cold winds. The Sun will be transiting Sravana, Alpha Aquilae, initiating Thiruvonam Njattuvela tomorrow.
Amongst the six Rithus or seasons, Vasanta ( Medam & Edavam ) is comparitively less hot, Greeshma ( Gemini and Cancer ) and Varsha ( Leo and Virgo ) are rainy seasons, Sarat ( Libra and Scorpio ) is less rainy, Hemanta ( Sagittarius and Capricorn ) is cold and dry and Sisira ( Aquarius & Pisces ) is very hot indeed !
Correspondence between Music and Art
Herbert Read knew the correspondence between Music and Art. " All Art tends to Music", he averred. Human beings are inseparable from their surroundings. It so happens that dusk, dawn, the season, the nature, the lightning, the thunder - all these affect the mood of Man. This mood gives rise to Rasa and every possible Rasa in connection with these circumstantial surroundings has been found to be conveyed through Raga. The world of Ragas, therefore, has all the variety of Life and experiences of Man. This is so true of Indian Music. Seasons or Rithus are a dimension of the vast game of Life and Creation !
The Six Seasons of Indian Philosophy are ruled by Planets
For instance,
Vasanta Rithu is ruled by Venus Greeshma by Mars and Sun Varsha by the Moon Sharath by Mercury Hemanta by Jupiter Sisira by Saturn
The Law of Correspondences state that the Six Seasons are related to the six Chakras, according to Kundalini Yoga. The Highest Chakra, the Sahasrara, the Thousand Petalled Lotus, is beyond Time and transcends everything. The lower six Chakras get mildly activated during the six seasons -
Ajna Chakra in Vasanta Vishuddha in Greeshma Anahata in Varsha Manipura in Sharath Swadhistana in Hemanta Muladhara in Sisira
Sisira Rithu ( Kumbha & Meena ) is also the mango season, when mangoes are plenty in Kerala. Mangoes are used in Fish curry, in pickles and in all curries. Mango is a substitute for tamarind in curries. Mango pickles are of many types. Tender mangoes make excellent pickle and are known as Vadu Mango Pickle. Cut Mango pickles goes by the name Chethu Manga. Mangoes are dried and pickled. Ripe mangoes are eaten. With red chilli poweder, ripe mangoes are an excellent dish. Special type of pickle comes from Andhra known as Avakkai.
Tender mangoes are also pickled in brine.
India leads in the production of mangoes. 13.5 million tonnes. China is second at 3.7 million tonnes. Mango is a fruit indigenous to the Indian subcontinet and is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The word mango is derived from the Malayalam manga .
Widely used in Cuisine, chutneys are made from sour, unripe mangoes. Mango Lassi, a popular drink in S Asia, is made by mixing ripe mangoes, curd and sugar. Mangoes can be eaten raw with salt. A cooling summer drink called panna comes from mangoes. Green mangoes can be used as mango salad with dried shrimp and fish sauce.
Mango is rich in phytochemicals and nutrients. Also vitamins and minerals. The antioxidant vitamins A, C and E compose 25%, 76% and 9% of the DRI ( Dietary Reference Intake ) in a 165 gms serving. Mangoes also contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, B vitamins and other nutrients.
Gone are the days of great rains ? When will we see rains like this ?
Now we have the sidereal month of Capricorn and it is cold at morn and hot at midday.
We cannot expect any rains now. There may be summer rains but then these are occasional. Edava Pathi will begin on May 29 and we have to wait till that time for the rain gods to smile.
Now we are bracing for a blistering summer. It is to be noted that last year more than 100 people died due to sunstroke.
Climate Change, triggered by Global Warming, can be a big threat. We hope that people will take precautions this summer.
Now the Sun is transiting Alpha Sagittari and we have to wait for rains till the Sun enters the Pleaides, the Seven Sisters. Summer rains may intrude but then these are only of short duration. Kerala does get summer rains, may be, 200 - 400 mm.
