By Mandakini Khajuria
The twelve signs of the zodiac are among the many ethereal bodies forming a map that holds the secrets of past karma and pre-ordained destinies in their core. They are a fine way to guide humans in their journey on this planet and help them deal with day to day hardships. By an in depth study of birth charts, Astrology unravels numerous lives as they pass by for Astrology is but a compass for our souls, in this earthly voyage. In several ancient civilizations, astrology was practiced by many especially the royalty. Babylonian astrology being one of the oldest forms of astrology worked on a system of celestial omens. Astrology was very popular in ancient Egypt where the pharaohs were heavily influenced by planets and stars. Chinese astrology, which is based on the lunar calendar and the zodiac, has a long history dating back to ancient China. In ancient India, Vedic Astrology or Jyotish has a deep connection with the Vedas. People have been practicing and following Vedic Astrology in India for over 2000 years and continue to do so till date. It is based on the position of celestial bodies at the time of a person’s birth.
Astrology being a conspicuous part of India’s culture with deeply embedded roots has also evolved over decades in many ways. Astrology was used for various purposes, including predicting auspicious times for rituals, determining the fate of individuals, and guiding decision-making in governance. During the British colonial period, astrology faced some challenges as the British rulers questioned its scientific validity. After India gained independence in 1947, astrology experienced resurgence in popularity. There was a revival of interest in traditional Indian sciences and spirituality, which contributed to the growth of astrology. It was introduced in the mainstream with the advent of television in the 1980s with TV programmes featuring astrologers with daily and weekly predictions.
With the inception of the digital age and internet Astrology made a quantum leap in its penetration and reach among the masses and became popular like never before. In today’s world online consultations, horoscope readings, and astrological content are all made available to a global audience by astrologers across multiple digital platforms. Unlike earlier when only the elite families would have a fixed astrologer working for them, now everyone has access to these services, be it in any form like tarot card reading, Lal kitab, Palmistry, Numerology etc.
Among the many popular interfaces to access astrology services, the most favoured are astrology apps. Astrology apps offer individualized and bespoke services basis the requirement of each individual. Numerous astrology applications provide these services as live streaming consultations. In a vast country like ours, these apps also provide localized content keeping in mind the local astrological customs and beliefs to offer more precise and pertinent insights.
In future these apps will continue to evolve and upgrade just as the audience do. Astrology apps may interface with gadgets like smart watches as wearable technology becomes more common to deliver real-time updates and insights throughout the day depending on users’ astrological profiles. Astrology applications may also in coming times provide more exhaustive discernments owing to developments in AI and machine learning. These would typically include analyses of astrological transits and their effects on users’ lives as well as guidance for improving diverse facets of life. There will be community based features like discussion forums, focus groups and interactive interfaces with other users. Astrology applications will start to invest in research to bridge the chasm between canonical astrology and modern science, to come up with more meticulous and precise deductions.
Indian culture places a high value on astrology, which offers insights into a miscellany of elements of peoples’ lives. Given India’s cultural love for astrology and the nation’s unremitting technical improvements, the future of astrology apps in that country appears bright. These apps’ success will depend on their capacity to deliver unambiguous, unique, and intriguing astrological content while safe guarding the user’s confidence and privacy.
(The author is Mandakini Khajuria, Certified Numerologist, Bhavishya Guru, and the views expressed in this article are her own)
