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Nadi astrology (naadi jothidam) is a form of astrology practised in Tamil Nadu, India. It is based on the belief that the past, present and the future lives of all humans were foreseen by Hindu sages in ancient times on Palm leaves.
History
According to Hindu mythology, thousands of years ago sages who had the power to look in the past and future of the entire universe recorded the future of people who were living and who are going to live, in the form of Tamil verses, as Palm Leaf Manuscripts. The text is written in Vatteluttu, which is an ancient Tamil script. There are different schools of thought as to the author of these leaves. They were said to be written down by different Hindu sages, who had divine revelations. Some of the sages include Agasthiya, Brighu, Kaushika, Vyasa, Valmiki and Vasishtha. This doctrine of astrology was made famous by astrologers around the Vaitheeswaran Temple in the state of Tamil Nadu and is still practiced around the temple by their descendents.
The source point of Nadi Astrology leaves can be traced back to approximately more than 2000 years. These Nadi leaves were initially stored in the premises of Tanjore Saraswati Mahal Library of Tamilnadu. The British rulers later showed interest in the Nadi leaves concerned with herbs and medicine, future prediction etc; but ironically left most of the Nadi prediction leaves to their loyal people. Some leaves got destroyed and the remaining were auctioned during the British rule. These Nadi leaves were obtained and possessed by the families of astrologers in Vaitheeswaran Temple. This is an art passed down the years from one generation to the other.
The notion that astrologers claim these predictions were made for all human beings who have lived or will ever live is not completely true. Nadi astrologers say only a certain number of souls' future predictions are there in the leaves. They are reported cases of exact match in the past details and future predictions. Since the prophecy is written in the form of Tamil verses, their interpretation is subject to the nadi astrologer's way of understanding and interpreting them. But those who can understand poetic Tamil (professors, etc.) can understand the verses without the help of an astrologer.
Procedure
Usually, the astrologer asks for the thumb impression (right hand for males and left hand for females). The astrologer then searches his repository of leaves for the seeker's classification of thumb print. Finally, the minimum possible set of matching leaves is brought. Every leaf corresponds to some individual and hence will bear the birth and kinship details of its seeker. So the seeker is asked a series of questions, based on the verses, so as to find the exact match. These questions are to be answered a yes or no. The exact leaf of seeker is said to get only 'yes' responses from the seeker. Once the exact leaf is found, the astrology tells the seeker's name, parents name, spouse name and many other details about his future, since they are all written in the leaf. The first chapter (kaandam) in the leaf has the general overview of its seeker's life. Then the kandams that follow this are specific ones like Marriage, Profession, etc. The list of chapters and details are as follows:
1. It contains a gist of future predictions corresponding to the 12 houses of the horoscope, a general overview of the seeker's life with age. Is also a general summary of the 11 kandams that follows it:
2. This Kandam is about Family, Education, Eyes, Money and Intuition.
3. This Kandam is about Brothers & Sisters, Relationships between them and self.
4. This Kandam is about Mother and Comforts through House, Land and Vehicles.
5. This Kandam is about Children and births, reason for not having any, future lifestyle of children.
6. This Kandam is about troubles and hardships due to Disease, Debts Enemies, Litigations or Cases.
7. This Kandam is about first Union or Marriage and Status of married life. Also contains hints of valuable information about the name of the future spouse, horoscope, age of marriage, and some characteristic features of the spouse etc.
8. This Kandam is about lifespan and Longetivity, Accidents and dangers with indication of time and age during one's lifetime.
9. This Kandam is about Father, Wealth, Visits to holy places, Fortune; Benefit from the preaching's of Guru and holy people, charitable deeds and social life.
10. This Kandam is about Career, Job, Profession and Business, Good and Bad times in career. Future predictions about growth, prosperity and losses in one's job or business.
11. This Kandam is about Second or further marriages, Profits in business etc.
12. This Kandam is about Expenditures, Foreign Visits, Next birth and Salvation.
Separate Kandams:
13. Shanti Pariharam: This Kandam is about past life or birth, bad and good deeds and a series of rituals that can dilute the effect of past bad deeds.
14. Deeksha Kandam: This Kandam is about the methods of preparing the Mantra Raksha, that has the power to shield the self from evil forces of jealous and envy. Raksha ensures relatively better rewards for one's efforts and success in deeds.
15. Avushada Kandam: This Kandam is about medicines, prescription suggested to those suffering from chronic diseases.
Initially, only the first chapter is read to the seeker. If the seeker needs further details on some particular chapter (like Business, Health, Marriage etc), then the corresponding chapter's verses are read to him/her. The seeker is also advised rituals which can correct the future mishappenings, there by leading to a choice.
Power
It is very powerful and accurate. There is no prediction involved - only translation/interpretaion of what is written on the leaf. Hence it does not require the huge competence levels that other forms of astrologies demand from the astrologer for good accuracy. In most cases, only people facing (or going to face) problems in life, get attracted to this astrology. Hence there is typically a remedy like Deeksha parihar (Pooja) and Shanthi parihar which involves dakshina (donation), which makes many people skeptical of the astrologer. The truth is, some bad karma in some previous life is responsible for the problems and some other good karma is responsible for the remedy (Pooja) that is indicated in the leaf. Sometimes, the motive of the astrology can be to drive people into spiritual path more steadily by demonstrating a power that cannot be explained with any known material science. Many people are stunned by the accuracy and, for the first time in their lives, believe in the concepts of soul and reincarnation in action. Many times a sound advice or a wise warning is given, being aware of the limitations of the current life and the planetary positions, on matters like health, attitude, career and relationships. Sometimes, instead of a giving a single path of your future, it can say multiple paths based on some future action that you take, which is in your own hands. Typically, the proof that your leaf is selected properly from the bundle of leaves, is the information of your personal details given in the leaf, like, the name, age, date of birth, parents names', siblings' information, education, current problems. Typically, they record the translation in a casetted and give you. They make the planetary chart (kundali) based on the information of time of birth given in the leaf. They also copy whatever is written on the leaf to a notebook which they will give you. You can come back this book in case you you need any clarifications. Some people who have got the nadi astrology done multiple times in their lives after some gap have found extra information that is more relevant for the latter stage and more clarity in certain aspects that the former covered. That could be the concepts, "limited free will" and "answer to prayers" in action.
Criticism
Like Feng shui, Naadi Astrology attracts several Business and Corporate clients. In recent years, there has been criticism regarding Nadi Astrology, denouncing it as a pseudo-science. The fortune tellers are accused of charging exorbitant amounts from customers. There are lot of quacks out there, so seek advice from the people who have already experience with a particular astrologer.
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