Superstition rules the city

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Ajay Devgn, Ritiesh Deshmukh, Suniel Shetty and Viveik Oberoi are some actors who changed their names to get lucky at the box office or in other ways. Some of them, like Sunil Shetty and Vivek Oberoi have even gone back to their previous names since an additional e and i didn’t do the trick. However, the superstition doesn’t end at adding or subtracting alphabets.

The famous K series, marrying a tree before tying the knot with an actor, a director’s infamous fetish for actresses with the initial M and actors insisting on a particular mobile and car numbers are a hint at how much the stars rely on astrology and numerology.
However, such star power seems to attract many in the city as well. And it’s not just about changing names. Changing signatures and flight schedules to selecting what colour to wear for an interview are just some queries that have city folk heading to astrologers, numerologists and tarot card readers. Among all other things like relationships and how to deal with people, it is anxiousness about career that dominates the questions being asked.
“About a year ago, I used to get about five to six queries in a week. Now I handle the same number of clients every day. Be it a business deal, interview, which colour to choose for company logo to visiting cards, people don’t want to take any risks anymore,” says numerologist, astrologer and tarot card reader Seema Midha.
A businessman Roheit Jhamb, who changed the spelling of his first name Rohit recently, says that consulting an astrologer has brought him success as a contractor. “I don’t want to ruin my hard work by making a business move at an inauspicious time. I take advice from an astrologer before signing contracts,” says Roheit, who has been consulting an astrologer for last seven years.
Faith in something gives you the confidence that might work in your favour, says an MNC employee Ravindra Tomar. “I always consult an astrologer before buying a car or property so that nothing goes wrong in future,” he adds.
Beauty and makeup expert, Meenakshi Dutt has been wearing a blue sapphire ring as per an astrologer’s suggestion for the last five years. “And things did happen for me. I feel blessed. Though I don’t think I am superstitious, I won’t be taking off the ring anytime soon,” laughs Meenakshi.
The fear of what would happen if she took off the ring keeps Meenakshi guard the ring with her life. Like Meenakshi, the usual anxiety about the future is what brings many to tarot card reader Sujit Beekram’s office. As he says, “More than suspicion, it’s about belief. If a little change in the spelling or signature or some planning can make events turn in a person’s favour then who would refuse?”