How Many Indians Take Their Astrology Seriously?

Most Indians believe in karma, the idea that people will reap the benefits of their good deeds and pay the price for their bad deeds, often in their next life. Astrology plays a role in the day-to-day lives of millions of Indians, with Hindus believing in nine important celestial bodies called Navagrahas, each connected to a specific god and having its own qualities.

Indian astrology came into light around 1200 BCE when monk Lagadha compiled the Vedānga-Jyotiṣa on the basis of Vedas, which include lunar and solar months. Hindus believe in nine important celestial bodies called Navagrahas, each connected to a specific god and having its own qualities. They also cultivate military astrology and a form of catarchic astrology termed muhurta-shastra.

Most Indians believe in fate, while fewer believe in astrology. Many Hindus and Muslims say magic, witchcraft, or sorcery can influence people’s lives. Roughly half of Indians trust religious rituals to treat health. Astrology plays a role in the day-to-day lives of millions of Indians, and researchers from NIMHANS have revealed the association of belief in astrology and fortune-telling with cognitive, personality, and psychological factors.

India has 6,48,000 temples, and the astrology market is estimated to be around ₹3,20,000 Cr, most of it being unorganized. Although it is well proven that astrology does not get things right, 27 of Americans and 23 of the French believe in it, while 46 of Mexicans feel that their beliefs are based on fantasy and mythology.

Do Hindus believe in astrology?

Hindus are the most likely religious group in India to believe in fate and astrology, with older individuals showing a higher percentage of these beliefs. The Northeast region has the lowest belief in fate, while Western Indians are less likely to believe in astrology. Many Hindus and Muslims also believe that magic, witchcraft, or sorcery can influence people’s lives, with many Indians also believing in the evil eye.

Which country most believe in astrology?

Astrology is a widely accepted and widely practiced science in India, influencing daily life, politics, and the Vedanga. It is used in various aspects of life, including marriage and career, and is considered a branch of the Vedanga. In 2001, Indian scientists and politicians debated a proposal to use state money to fund research into astrology, leading to the permission for Indian universities to offer Vedic astrology courses. In 2011, the Bombay High Court reaffirmed astrology’s status as a science.

In Japan, strong astrological beliefs have led to significant changes in fertility rates and abortion rates during the Fire Horse years. Adherents believe that women born in hinoeuma years are unmarried and bring bad luck to their fathers or husbands. In 1966, the number of babies born in Japan dropped by over 25 as parents tried to avoid the stigma of having a daughter born in this year.

Is astrology common in India?

Astrology has been criticized by the scientific community for lacking explanatory power for describing the universe. Scientific testing has been conducted, but no evidence has been found to support the premises or purported effects outlined in astrological traditions. Despite its status as a pseudoscience, astrology retains a position among the sciences in modern India. In 2001, India’s University Grants Commission and Ministry of Human Resource Development introduced “Jyotir Vigyan” or “Vedic astrology” as a discipline of study in Indian universities, stating that it allows for accurate predictions on time scale. This decision was backed by a 2001 judgement of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Despite widespread protests from the scientific community and Indian scientists working abroad, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition in 2004 that astrology was not a promotion of religion. In 2011, the Bombay High Court referred to the 2004 ruling when it dismissed a case challenging astrology’s status as a science. As of 2014, astrology continues to be taught at various universities in India, and there is a movement to establish a national Vedic University to teach astrology alongside the study of tantra, mantra, and yoga.

Is astrology against Hinduism?

The principles of Hinduism, including the concepts of rebirth and karma, are reflected in Hindu Vedic astrology. This is evidenced by the frequent mention of Hindu astrology in Hindu religious scriptures and in some rituals that often reference planets and stars.

Is astrology haram in Islam?

The Hadith, a collection of Islamic religious teachings, is a significant part of the Islamic faith. It outlines the instructions and practices of Muhammad, who criticized the legality and illegality of astrology. According to Abu Dawud, seeking knowledge from the stars is considered witchcraft, which is inherently forbidden in Islam. The Hadith also emphasizes that rain is a blessing bestowed only by Allah, and any belief that rain is a result of other beings is considered disbelief.

The Hadith also mentions the stars, stating that those who suggest rain originates from a star are considered disbelievers in Allah. This concept of astrology and the belief in celestial beings’ influence on anything other than what is enshrined in the Quran and Hadith constitutes shirk (blasphemy) and leads one to leave the fold of the religion.

Second-century Islamic scholar Imam Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam and cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, views astrology as fundamentally forbidden in the Islamic religion. He warns followers not to learn the science of stars except for guidance on land or sea, as it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner. This aligns with the Quran, which points to stars and astrology as only a means of navigation.

However, prominent scholars like Ibn Arabi and Ikhwan argue that planets are not considered God but do suggest each prophet with a specific planet/celestial being. Prophet Idris, also known as Enoch, was gifted with great knowledge of the stars and used his gift to meditate upon God’s grandeur and teach others. He believed that the stars and moon contributed to mankind and founded the study of the stars.

Different sects of Islam offer varying perspectives on the concept of astrology.

Is astrology legal in India?

The Supreme Court has ruled that astrology is a science, and in 2004, it directed universities to consider adding it to the syllabus. The court also took an affidavit submitted by the Union government, which stated that astrology is a 4000-year-old “trusted science” and does not fall under the preview of The Drugs and Megical Remedies Act (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. The Act aims to prohibit misleading advertisements relating to drugs and magic remedies, but does not cover astrology and related sciences like palmistry and Vaastu Shastra.

The petitioner, Janhit Manch and its convener Bhagwanji Raiyani, questioned the validity of predictions by many well-known astrologers, pointing to several cases, including Indira Gandhi and Charan Singh becoming prime ministers despite opposite predictions. Advocates for the Union government, Advait Sethna, and Bharat Mehta supported the Union government’s stand, arguing that the Supreme Court had already considered astrology as a science and that many universities had included it as a subject.

The PIL urged the authorities to ban articles, advertisements, episodes, and practices promoting astrology and its related subjects like vastu, reiki, feng shui, tarot, palmistry, zodiac signs, and rashifal.

What religions forbid astrology?

Early Christians and early Jews were strongly opposed to astrology, with some even attributing it to demonic origin. The Church Fathers imposed strong sanctions against astrology to protect their flocks, with mathematician Aquila Ponticus excommunicated from the Church in Rome for astrological heresies in A. D. 120. St. Augustine believed that the determinism of astrology conflicted with Christian doctrines of man’s free will and responsibility, and that God was not the cause of evil. He also grounded his opposition philosophically, citing the failure of astrology to explain twins who behave differently despite being conceived at the same time.

The first astrological book published in Europe was the Liber Planetis et Mundi Climatibus, published between 1010 and 1027 AD. Ptolemy’s second century AD Tetrabiblos was translated into Latin by Plato of Tivoli in 1138. Dominican theologian Thomas Aquinas proposed that the stars ruled the imperfect’sublunary’ body while attempting to reconcile astrology with Christianity by stating that God ruled the soul.

The thirteenth century mathematician Campanus of Novara devised a system of astrological houses, while astronomer Guido Bonatti wrote the Liber Astronomicus, which King Henry VII of England owned at the end of the fifteenth century.

What percentage of the population believes in astrology?

A recent YouGov poll revealed that over 25% of US adults, including 37 of those under 30, believe in astrology, which suggests that the position of stars and planets influences people’s lives. About half of Americans don’t believe in astrology, and 22 are unsure. Younger adults are more likely to believe in astrology than older adults, while women are slightly more likely to do so than men. White Americans are less likely to believe in astrology than Black and Hispanic Americans.

Among Americans with a high-school degree or less, 29 believe in astrology, while those with an advanced degree are slightly less likely. Americans living in the Northeast and West are slightly more likely to express a belief in astrology than those in the South and Midwest.

Is astrology true or false in India?

Astrology is considered pseudoscience due to its lack of scientific validity and effectiveness in controlled studies. There is no proposed mechanism for how stars and planets affect people and events on Earth, which contradicts well-understood aspects of biology and physics. Modern scientific inquiry focuses on the correlation between astrological traditions and seasonal birth in humans. Most professional astrologers rely on astrology-based personality tests and make predictions about the remunerator’s future.

Those who continue to believe in astrology are characterized as doing so despite the lack of verified scientific basis and strong evidence to the contrary. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson emphasized the importance of understanding how nature shapes the world around us, as without this knowledge, individuals can easily become victims of those seeking to take advantage of them.

Do Muslims believe in astrology?

The Hadith, a collection of Islamic religious teachings, is a significant part of the Islamic faith. It outlines the instructions and practices of Muhammad, who criticized the legality and illegality of astrology. According to Abu Dawud, seeking knowledge from the stars is considered witchcraft, which is inherently forbidden in Islam. The Hadith also emphasizes that rain is a blessing bestowed only by Allah, and any belief that rain is a result of other beings is considered disbelief.

The Hadith also mentions the stars, stating that those who suggest rain originates from a star are considered disbelievers in Allah. This concept of astrology and the belief in celestial beings’ influence on anything other than what is enshrined in the Quran and Hadith constitutes shirk (blasphemy) and leads one to leave the fold of the religion.

Second-century Islamic scholar Imam Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam and cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, views astrology as fundamentally forbidden in the Islamic religion. He warns followers not to learn the science of stars except for guidance on land or sea, as it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner. This aligns with the Quran, which points to stars and astrology as only a means of navigation.

However, prominent scholars like Ibn Arabi and Ikhwan argue that planets are not considered God but do suggest each prophet with a specific planet/celestial being. Prophet Idris, also known as Enoch, was gifted with great knowledge of the stars and used his gift to meditate upon God’s grandeur and teach others. He believed that the stars and moon contributed to mankind and founded the study of the stars.

Different sects of Islam offer varying perspectives on the concept of astrology.

What religion believes in astrology?

Astrology and divination are integral to various cultures and traditions, including Hinduism, Chinese culture, Christianity, and Islam. These practices help people make big decisions and predict the future, reflecting their beliefs and values. Despite variations in methods, the idea of seeking guidance about the future remains consistent. Understanding these practices offers insight into diverse worldviews and their place in the world. The Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom, particularly from Shloka 41 of Chapter 2, is considered the key to liberation.