Finding fault with the stars

RECENTLY, in a bizarre twist, a leading news channel hit the pause button on politics and primetime drama to dive deep into astrological kundlis. The crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, the anchors claimed, might not have been the result of safety lapses, but of India’s Mars Mahadasha. Apparently, it wasn’t an aviation mishap. It was about bad planets.

It’s tempting to write this off as just another case of sensationalism until you realise that astrology’s rise in India is no fleeting fad. It’s a lucrative industry that’s reshaping how millions interpret their lives. In 2024 alone, astrology apps earned $163 million. By 2030, that could balloon to $1.8 billion.

Surprisingly, a recent report by Astroyogi revealed that over 60 per cent of astrology app users are Gen Z, with nearly 80 per cent of queries relating to relationships and breakups. The irony? The generation most associated with science and rationality is also spending lakhs on online puja, vaastu fixes and planetary remedies, often out of fear, not faith. The damage isn’t just psychological; this trend is quietly diverting money from essential needs like healthcare, education and long-term financial planning, and pushing a generation into a cycle of passive coping and financial strain.

The stars, too, are no longer confined to dating advice. They’ve crept into the justice system as well. In Gobind Rai@Monu Versus State of Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court recently ordered Lucknow University’s Astrology Department to determine whether a rape survivor had Mangal Dosh. The accused had refused to marry her, blaming her astrological chart. Instead of rejecting this as absurd, the court asked for a report. The Supreme Court stayed the order, but not before headlines reminded us that horoscopes were being weighed alongside human rights.

Ministers routinely consult astrologers before their swearing-in. Public infrastructure is held up due to “inauspicious timings.” Even Operation Sindoor, a military initiative, was dissected by astrologers on primetime news.

This growing obsession with celestial explanations is raising red flags. A recent review by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, warns that compulsive reliance on astrology can trigger anxiety, depression and even behavioural addiction. The study noted a spike in such behaviour after the Covid-19 pandemic, especially among adults seeking comfort in crisis.

The problem runs deeper. This isn’t just about tradition anymore. It’s about astrology becoming a product, packaged, marketed and sold through sleek apps and false promises. The issue isn’t astrology itself, but the way it’s paraded as logic. When courtrooms, crime scenes and even airline tragedies begin to orbit around Mars and Saturn, we’re no longer consulting the stars, we’re surrendering to them. And that’s not faith, that’s madness.

Musings