Why Astrology refuses to leave the Stars of Power and Fame?

I am thrilled to write about the vital role of Vedic Astrology in contemporary society. For too long, colonial-era mindsets diminished this sacred science, but professional Astrologers are finally regaining their rightful respect. This shift was vividly demonstrated following Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru Joseph Vijay's inauguration on May 10, 2026. By appointing his Astrologer, Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, as an Officer on Special Duty (Political), the Chief Minister validated an entire profession. This landmark decision is a collective triumph for Indian Astrologers, who serve as trusted advisors to the nation's elite.

Intense criticism erupted from opposition leaders, rationalist organizations, and alliance partners—including Congress, VCK, and the Left—who maintained that funding a government Astrologer with public money undermined both secularism and scientific thinking. Consequently, the position was quickly revoked. However, what happened to the Astrologer matters far less than the landmark precedent that was set: for the first time in India, a prominent politician has publicly acknowledged his gratitude for an astrologer's guidance. Kudos to CM Joseph Vijay for this unprecedented step.

The high-stakes world of modern politics and business often presents a façade of hard science, data-driven policymaking, and clinical rationalism. Exit polls before elections add to the suspense and confusion that is expected in the world of politics. The best minds are unable to see the future. Journalists in Tamilnadu fumbled to give the right picture of the future. Obviously people look for alternatives. If science and common sense cannot predict the outcome of an election what else can? In a situation like this the big names reach out to their Astrologers. 

Unknown to many economists of India, one of the largest industry in India is the industry of Astrology and Vastu Sastra that has always been the backbone of many  background of many  decisions that affect the people and the nation. The total gross annual turnover of the overall Astrology and related business in India is estimated to be approximately ₹3,20,000 crore (around $35 billion to $40 billion). Who are the clients? Yet most of the big names in India never openly admit consulting their Astrologers. 

Biographies and political chronicles—such as Durga Das's India from Curzon to Nehru and After has noted that Nehru quietly allowed or sought consultations with certain traditional Astrologers (like Haveli Ram) during highly stressful political phases, such as the 1962 Sino-Indian War.

When Great Britain decided to grant India independence on August 15, 1947, Astrologers across India panicked, claiming the date was highly inauspicious. To respect public sentiment and ensure structural stability, Nehru agreed to using Astrology to fix the muhurta for midnight so India was born at the stroke of the auspicious Abhijit Muhurta. This is the story of the Freedom at Midnight. 

Since then, politicians and celebrities have used Vedic astrology but kept it secret to avoid public backlash.

The Birth of the Buddha: Long before Prince Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment to become the Buddha, his life path was dictated by an astrological reading. Upon his birth, King Shuddhodana summoned the revered hermit-astrologer Asita to read the infant's horoscope. Asita noted the child's extraordinary physical and cosmic markings, predicting with absolute certainty that Siddhartha would either become a Chakravartin (a magnificent, world-conquering Emperor) or a Tirthankara an enlightened being (a supreme spiritual leader who would deliver humanity from suffering). What finally happened was as you all know Prince Siddharth became the Chakravartin of Spirituality. 

The Imperium of Rome: Roman rulers aggressively used Astrology as an active tool of statecraft and defence. Emperor Augustus, the first ruler of the Roman Empire, linked his political authority to the stars by publishing his birth chart to validate his divine right to rule. Later, Emperor Tiberius maintained a trusted court Astrologer named Thrasyllus, who advised him on administrative executions and imperial succession. To prevent rivals from weaponising Astrology, Emperor Septimius Severus famously painted his birth chart onto the palace ceiling but strategically omitted his exact ascendant sign so enemies could not calculate the exact moment of his downfall.

Queen Elizabeth I & Dr. John Dee: In 16th-century England, Queen Elizabeth I relied explicitly on Dr. John Dee, a brilliant mathematician, astronomer, and Astrologer. Dee calculated the mathematically most auspicious date for Elizabeth’s coronation to ensure a stable and prosperous reign. He remained a secret national security advisor, interpreting astrological charts to guide England's defense plans against the Spanish Armada.

The Court of King Vikramaditya: In ancient India, the legendary king maintained Varāhamihira as one of the "9 Gems" (Navaratnas) of his royal court. Varāhamihira revolutionized predictive science, and the King bestowed upon him the ultimate title of "Varah" after he accurately predicted the nature of death of the crown prince. The King has taken all the precautions to protect the crown prince but somehow as predicted "Varaha" eventually killed the crown price. From that day onwards Mihira was called Varahamihira. 

Tamil Nadu Ex Chief Minister (Late) J. Jayalalithaa altered the spelling of her name for numerological favour and strictly scheduled her oath-taking ceremonies and major party meetings during highly specific, astrologically auspicious windows.

Prominent political researcher K.N. Rao extensively documented the astrological dependencies of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, tracking how planetary transitions aligned with major state decisions.

The story of Julius Caesar and his cosmic advisor is perhaps the most famous historical warning in the history of global politics. It is about a prediction made by the famous Roman Astrologer named Spurinna. He warned Caesar that his life would be in grave danger for the next 30 days. The final, most volatile day of this dangerous window corresponded precisely to March 15, 44 BC which is known on the Roman calendar as the Ides of March. On the morning of March 15, Caesar's wife, Calpurnia, woke up terrified from a nightmare in which she held Caesar’s murdered body. Spurred by his wife's terror and feeling unwell himself, Caesar initially decided to cancel his scheduled meeting with the Roman Senate. 

However, Decimus Brutus one of the key conspirators plotting against him and arrived at Caesar's home. Decimus mocked the idea of a powerful leader being ruled by bad dreams and seers, subtly tricking Caesar into changing his mind and heading toward the Senate chamber. While traveling through the streets of Rome toward the Theatre of Pompey (where the Senate was meeting), Caesar spotted Spurinna in the crowd. Feeling arrogant and believing the danger had passed, Caesar called out mockingly to the Astrologer: "The Ides of March have come!"

Astrologer Spurinna looked back at the dictator and calmly replied with the now-legendary phrase: "Yes, Caesar, but they have not gone." Meaning the day is not over yet. Minutes later, Caesar entered the Senate chamber. A group of roughly 60 conspirators, including his trusted protege Marcus Junius Brutus, surrounded him under the pretense of presenting a political petition. They drew hidden daggers and stabbed him 23 times, fulfilling Spurinna’s warning on the very last day of the predicted timeline. 

Let's go back to the most recent story on the paradox of Vedic Astrology. A dramatic, 24-hour political storm in Tamil Nadu has once again forced this enduring paradox called Astrology into the public spotlight, proving that despite rapid technological advancement, humanity’s age-old urge to look to the stars remains unbroken. It is time that Astrologers celebrate the knowledge that they possess. 

The decree appointed prominent astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, popularly known as Radhan Pandit as an Officer on Special Duty (Political) directly under the Chief Minister. The expected backlash from opposition parties, rationalist movements, and coalition allies was instantaneous. Critics fiercely argued that placing a "cosmic advisor" on the taxpayer funded payroll compromised constitutional values, blurred secular lines, and actively promoted unscientific thinking that promoted superstitions. Amid intense public pressure, the government revoked the appointment in less than 24 hours. However, political insiders noted that the swift reversal could not erase the deep personal bonds motivating the move. 

While the Tamil Nadu episode shocked modern intellectuals, history shows that rulers have always kept Astrologers within arm's reach. Across centuries and continents, royal courts in India, Nepal, China, Persia, Egypt, and Europe officially employed Astrologers to guide existential decisions. These seers of the future advised monarchs on:

In modern times builders in India have been using the knowledge that Vasthu consultants provided them with. Those who build apartments know that even if their apartments were of the best quality, it would still be difficult to sell if the apartment is not Vasthu compliant. 

Guruji E K Dhilip Kumar always says that hard work is irreplaceable. However in bad times hard work may not give the results but perseverance will eventually give the fruits of hard work when the good time arrives. He says "a good Astrologer should educate the person on lifestyle changes to combat the negative karma that has been carried forward from past lives". Celebrating victory is not enough, maintaining the position one has reached requires many sacrifices and life style changes. That's the reason why the slogan on his website www.astrologyekdk.com is "Practical Solutions. Not Mere Predictions". 

The commercialisation and politicisation of Astrology present significant risks, particularly when used to exploit vulnerable individuals. Disregarding practical effort and common sense in favour of blind reliance on predictions inevitably leads to failure; astrological guidance is never a substitute for hard work and effective governance. This reliance often manifests as a "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy" (SFP), where an individual inadvertently causes a prediction to come true simply because they expect it to. For instance, if an astrologer predicts a client will marry someone whose name begins with the letter "S," the client may actively wait for and pursue a partner matching that exact description, ultimately fulfilling the prophecy through their own deliberate actions.