“Yes, I respect her deeply. She’s a woman of substance and she has proved it at every step of her life. Anyone who has known her or seen her will understand this.”
Sonia leaned against her seat and looked straight at her middle-aged companion. “Her horoscope certainly reveals her to be a strong character,” she agreed. “Charan Dasji, I’m going to narrate a story to you, too. Based entirely on my reading of the two horoscopes you introduced to me. I’ve never met either Janavi or Dinesh, but that does not change what I have to tell you. I don’t deny that there may be a few alterations here and there, but my narration is more or less a true-to-life version. Call it a factual mapping of astrological events. Or call it the guarded and distrustful opinion of an investigator. Call it whatever you like. But I believe that Janavi has led the life exactly as her horoscope indicated.”
The Astrologer raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. “Really! I am all ears.” He folded his arms, his mouth set in a stubborn line.
Sonia nodded, forming her words carefully. “This is the story of a beautiful, middle-class girl called Janavi. She was extremely ambitious and wanted to achieve a lot of things in life. She was clever, intelligent, and aspired to be a Doctor. Since she did not have financial backing, she was also hardworking. As a child, I think she fell ill, because of which she may have lost a year at school. But she made up for it in College, and with sheer grit and determination she managed to take admission into Medical College. But even though her horoscope indicated a strong inclination towards medicine, it definitely did not belong to a Doctor. Her horoscope was the natal chart of a fighter, a proud fighter. In Medical College, Janavi fell in love with a fellow student. Perhaps he wasn’t up to mark, or perhaps her parents did not approve of him. Nevertheless, her horoscope indicates a very serious affair. But Mars in conjunction with Rahu in Cancer in the first house and Saturn in conjunction with Ketu in the seventh house indicate the break-up of a love affair. Those times, were not particularly liberal. A beautiful young girl like Janavi, a girl with radical ideas of freedom and liberty, could put the family to shame. Very damaging to a family who could only boast a good name and no money. Knowing their strong headed daughter and fearing that matters may get out of hand, they shrewdly and hastily arranged Janavi’s marriage to Dinesh Ranade, a boy from a rich, cultured family with absolutely no looks to brag about. Janavi had no alternative but to marry the boy of her parents’ choice. Her medical career, the most important focal point of her life, was lost forever”
Sonia paused and studied Charan Das’s face. The stubborn, almost hostile expression had been replaced by a hint of reluctant interest.
Satisfied that she had achieved a dent in his hostility, she continued. “From day one, Dinesh was extremely orthodox. He wouldn’t hear of his wife taking up a job and working. He was fussy about his meals and demanded round-the-clock attention from her. There were limitations on where Janavi went, what she did, whom she met. She had to be at home every time Dinesh returned there. To give Janavi credit, she attempted to cope with his unreasonable demands. She catered to his smallest need, but as days passed and years, she realised that her life was becoming impossible and unbearable. Dinesh was no good at lecturing - the profession for which he’d trained - and he had tried his hand at a variety of careers. Nothing seemed to work. The Lord of the tenth house; Sun in conjunction with Rahu and Saturn; Saturn and Mars aspecting the tenth house, which is the house of occupation, did not grant him success in his career.
“On a personal front, he was insensitive and uncaring and, if I guess right, even cruel. Possibly he was aware of her affair before marriage, which was also the reason for their hasty marriage, and he used it as a constant threat over her head. Perhaps he taunted her about it. Janavi, being proud and status- and prestige conscious, recognised her need to keep her miserable personal life under wraps. She knew that whatever happened, she could never let her parents or society know what a wretched failure her marriage truly was. Or what a mess her life had become. That is why she always went out of her way to paint this glorious happy picture of their marriage. They had terrible fights, but she never made them public. When they had a son, Janavi tried her best to keep him away from the shadow of a loveless life. At the first opportunity, she sent him to boarding school. She did not want her son to witness their fights and their senseless existence. Mars, the planet of the fifth house, which is the house of children, is in conjunction with Rahu and Jupiter in the eighth house - the stars clearly reveal that Janavi will always pine for her son.”
“I must say that you are analysing their horoscopes rather well,” Charan Das conceded.
“Speculation, certainly, but no one is perfect and nothing is certain in life. But I’d say that this time, I’m ninety percent on the mark.”
“Go on”
“Frustrated and wanting to do something with her life, Janavi finally set her mind on a catering business, which became successful. By then, Dinesh had given up all attempts at a career. He wasn’t earning a single rupee and was happy to hand over the reins of earning to his wife. Provided, of course, she never said or did a thing to touch his ego. And besides, as long
