Kismat Konnection

The long weekend last week was interesting. I went home to be with my parents and sisters to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. My mom had something up her sleeve this time for me. No no, you are getting it wrong. Not a prospective girl for me. Something else. She wanted me to accompany her to an astrologer. An astrologer that had caught her fancy and she had begun visiting her frequently. She found solace at whatever the astrologer administered notwithstanding doling out thousands of rupees to procure exotic looking stones and amulets. And now she wanted some administration for me too.

I freaked the moment she mentioned that to me. A long spell of verbal duel ensued. And then followed a delirium of lamenting discourse from her, a ploy all mothers are so good at. "This is what I get giving you all education from English medium schools, u grow up and ridicule your parents intelligence. You think we are all illiterates. So many educated and rich people go to astrologers. Even Amitabh Bachan performed so many havans and yagyas to induct Aishwarya to his family as she was manglik. They are all fools". I did agree to some of her statements. Not that I fell for it. But better sense prevailed onto me. It dawned on me that if an astrologer could soothe her worrisome self and give her some peace, then it doesn't hurt going. I turned turtle and accompanied here.

'Welcome to AstroWorld', greeted the board on the door. What intrigued me was that board had a website and email address. I smiled and cursed simultaneously, contrasting emotions running in my mind. I followed my mother and stepped in gingerly into the waiting hall.

The air conditioned room wafting with scented aggarbatis and dimly lit lights did its bit to placate my tumultuous mind. The surround speakers humming Himalayan Chants at the background added that solemnity to make the setting picture perfect. The imposing glass shelf at the front displayed a motley of amulets, rings, and other assortments that looked like a paraphernalia of a Magician's accompaniments just out of his potli.

We waited for around half an hour all the while being conditioned by my mother, who was educating me the relevance of astrology. How the educated and rich people come here to seek guidance and workarounds for the looming ill effects of wrong planetary positions.

We were called in. The man across the table looked very young, could be in his late twenties. A laptop in front of him on the table looked completely out of place. But by now I was used to experiencing the contrast between the familiar and the exceptional.

He asked my date and day of my birth. And that was it. The date and the day did not match. A Wednesday 21st October 1981, was not possible according to the calendar, and my mom was adamant about it. I was thrilled and disappointed at the same time. Though I abhorred astrology, unconsciously I was looking forward to what the astrologer had to say about my future. We left promising him guy that we would come back with confirmed details.

My mom was crestfallen. She could not come to terms that she had forgotten my day of birth. I tried to hide my genuine feelings and sympathised her. She warned that she would be taking me again to him at my next visit.

I smiled and nodded with affirmation.