Vedic astrology has always played a large role in the lives of Hindus. Astrologers are consulted when a child is born, a business is about to be launched, before going abroad, attending a job interview, or fixing a marriage alliance. Hindus have always believed in the power of astrology to make accurate predictions about their life events. In most families, as soon as a child is born, the family astrologer is summoned to draw up the natal chart of the infant. In the old days, child mortality used to be high. If there are any indications of illness or threat to life by accident or mishap in the child’s natal chart, the family would be better prepared and ensure that all precautions are taken to avoid the problem.

From the natal chart, the parents also can learn many things about the child, like its personality traits, talents, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc. It can also indicate which educational streams and careers are most suitable for him/her. And most importantly, it can indicate when the person should get married in order to have a long and happy marriage. For example, it is often seen that females born under Ashwini star are advised not to marry at an early age, as it may end in separation, divorce or the death of the spouse.

Thus, we can see that the natal chart/horoscope is very important for Hindus. But what exactly is a horoscope? Basically, it is a diagram representing the positions of the sun, moon, and other planets in the sky at the exact time of a person’s birth. Based on the positions of these celestial bodies, the astrologer makes predictions about the events in the life of the person, his/her personality traits, talents, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc. The Atharva Veda, as well as ancient Hindu epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata mention the importance of the horoscope. In Vedic times, the horoscope played a key role in people’s lives. This is evident from the fact that the problems faced by Rama and Sita in their married life and their separation in the Ramayana were explained as the result of Ram being a Manglik, as well as the fact that all 36 Gunas were matching. The optimum number is anything between 18 and 35.

A Manglik person is often introvert and makes a difficult companion. But once they commit to someone, they fulfill all their responsibilities. Such people are ambitious and get angry quickly. The term Manglik is used when the placement of Mars in the horoscope is unfavorable. Mars makes people fierce, impulsive, bold, aggressive, and blunt. A Manglik person will find it difficult to adjust to situations and relationships. Hence, their marital life will be troubled if the spouse is a non-Manglik. Also, as Rama and Sita had 36 Gunas matching, they had to spend less time together after marriage. Their married life, too, was not calm and peaceful though they loved each other deeply.

Despite the march of modernity, astrology continues to hold sway over the minds of people, as is evident from the number of people who follow astrology columns and podcasts. We live in times of great uncertainty, and astrology, by giving a glimpse into the future, helps us manage the uncertainty. Our horoscope offers a wealth of information, which can be used for our benefit. It can suggest viable career options, suitable educational streams, best times to switch jobs, launch a business, or get married. It can tell us if we can have a successful marriage, whether our parents or we choose our partner, and if we will have children, etc. 

Our horoscopes also reveal the karma we have inherited from past lives. By understanding it, we can make restitution for bad karma and ensure that we do not have to suffer its adverse effects, and make a course correction in life.

It is true that not all predictions come true, but it all depends on the astrologer and the accuracy of the information provided regarding birth details. For instance, if the birth time is off by even a few seconds, the predictions will not be accurate. Science scoffs at astrology and horoscopes, but there are any number of people who are willing to swear by the science behind astrology, as they have experienced its power in their own lives.