What large-scale rescue operations and several teams of officials could not do, several astrologers claim to be capable of doing that. A number of astrologers claim that they may predict exact locations and state of the persons who went missing on June 16 and 17 when disaster hit Uttarakhand, provided they get accurate date, time and place of birth.
Surprisingly, believing their claims, several persons, who are desperately looking for their missing relatives, reached Guptkashi during the past few days and insisted on visiting the devastated locations, including Rambada, Jungle Chatti, Ganesh Chatti, Gaurigaon and areas around Kedarnath Temple.
Soothsayers’ prediction about presence of the missing persons at ambiguous locations in bushes and caves in disaster-hit tough terrains, drives several people to reach Guptkashi in Rudraprayag district. The staunch followers of the astrologers are least careful about their lives.
Having arrived at the nodal relief centre at Guptkashi, they insist that police personnel allow them to move ahead of Gaurikund. When police personnel apprise them of the ground situation, some of them gave up their idea to go ahead of Guptkashi as going ahead may land them into rough weather, while others talk in an obstinate manner.
A person from Uttar Pradesh ignored advice of the police personnel on duty at Guptkashi and proceeded towards Gaurikund. He trekked around some areas in Junglechatti. Police personnel had to strive hard to persuade him to give up his idea to go to Rambada.
Superintendent of Police (State Crime Record Bureau) Nilesh Anand Bharne came across several such persons in Guptkashi while functioning at nodal office for relief and rescue operation there. He consoled and convinced several persons to go back to their homes as it was not possible to visit Junglechatti and Rambada area.
“A person from Uttar Pradesh was adamant on visiting Rambada to seek his missing relatives. He was apprised that all the stranded persons were rescued. The route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath was badly damaged. It was not possible to trek to the location,” Bharne said, adding that the man told him that astrologers predicted that missing members of his family were safe and they might be stranded at a village in Jungle Chatti.
“He was so convinced with the prediction that he firmly believed that his missing kin might be there in any of the villages. Anyhow, we persuaded him to go back,” Bharne said. While leaving, his eyes were moist and he requested the cops to look for his missing kin when they go to Kedarnath and areas around it. They also claimed that the said astrologers never made wrong predictions. Astrologer Srinivash Rai, who has been practicing astrology for the last 20 years, said, “Astrology is a science. All calculations are made on the basis of time provided by the kin. Star position in the horoscope of the persons gives clear indication of future incidents, provided time, date, and place of birth should be accurate.”
Rai said that some persons had approached him with the horoscopes of their kin and he made predictions on the basis of star position. He claimed that accurate prediction could be made. However, people must know that it was almost impossible to analyse things decided by the Divine Power. An astrologer is a human being and he has his limitations, he said.