Nadi Astrology, being claimed as an ancient form of Tamil Hindu Astrology, is able to detail the predictions foreseen by the great saints and sages of Tamil Nadu to all people. It is said that the sages were able to use their yogic spiritual power and foreseen the past, present and future of all individuals who already lived in this world or living at present or going to take birth and to live.
The origin of Nadi Astrology manuscripts are claimed to be over 2000 years. It is believed that the manuscripts use Tamil Grantham letters (Vattezhuttu) to record the texts in age old poetic format. The Nadi Astrologers claim that there are about eighteen types of ancient palm leaf manuscripts written in ancient Sanskrit language and they are normally identified with the seven Sages and Saints (Siddhars) i e, Agasthya, Bohar, Brigu, Kausika, Valmiki, Vasistha, and Vyasa. The Nadi systems were named after the Sage or Saint i e., Agasthya Nadi, Angirasa Nadi, Atrish Nadi, Baradwaj Nadi, Bohar Nadi, Brahma Nadi, Brigu Nadi, Gautama Nadi, Jamadagni Nadi, Kagapujandar Nadi, Kausika Nadi (also known as Vishwamitra Nadi), Krauta Nadi, Pulahtiya Nadi, Shiva Nadi, Suka Nadi, Valmiki Nadi, Vashist Nadi, Vyasa Nadi etc. Most of these Nadis are not available in full form and some part might have got destroyed or taken away by British Rulers or researchers.
Collection and Organisation
The Nadi Astrology manuscripts lie scattered across the country and a portion of the leaves are believed to have been smuggled out of India. Experts say that the manuscripts using the bold face are believed to be the older records. The results of the radio carbon dating tests carried on these manuscripts prove that they are just three hundred years old. Researchers also found some of these Nadi manuscripts are also available in few other Indian languages i e, Kannada and Telugu. The Tamil version of Nadi Astrology manuscripts might be the translated versions from the original Sanskrit scripts. The Rulers of Thanjavoor were responsible for the translated version. The Maratha ruler Serfoji (or Sarabhoji) [1777-1832] of Thanjavoor preserved the translations in his Saraswati Mahal Library.
Hereditary Occupation of Valluvar Community
The European researchers in general and the British Rulers in specific accessed the entire manuscript collections of the library and found that the literature on indigenous medicine were only useful to them. The Colonial Rulers decided to sell the manuscripts through auction and the traditional Valluvar Community astrologers of Vaitheeswaran Temple were successful in purchasing them. From then onwards Nadi Astrology was being practiced by these people and now their descendants are holding these manuscripts. Thus Nadi Astrology has become the hereditary occupation of a particular community.
How Nadi astrology is practiced?
The Nadi Astrologers will neither demand your birth details nor your horoscope. They only take your thumb impression. Why your thumb impression is required? Their claim is that the loops and whirls of your thumb impressions are unique. They could identify and fix your thumb impression as one amongst the 1008 unique thumb impression classes or categories. They also claim that the classification and indexing system followed to store the bundles of palm leaf manuscripts will help them to identify few relevant bundles. Each bundle will hold at least fifty to one hundred palm leaves.
Nadi Astrology Reader
The process of identifying and pin pointing the specific palm leaf pertaining to the individual is the most pain taking process and this may test your patience. The Nadi Astrologer will not put direct question about your birth details or your name or the names of your parents or relatives or children, your profession or income and other information. Instead he will read certain leaves and keep on putting indirect questions. Some times he may direct you to pay few more visits to verify your identity from the missing bundles.
Nadi Astrology and its Parts / Chapters (Kandams)
If they claim that the relevant index leaf bearing your data found he will read poems comprising ancient Tamil words and phrases. The astrologer will also interpret your birth details, names of parents, wife and children. He will also cast your birth chart (horoscope). According to Nadi Astrology the index leaf is called ‘General Kandam (Part or Chapter). There are twelve parts or chapters (Kandams) and if you want specific information about your family, brothers, sisters, mother, children, education, properties, diseases, debts, litigation, opponents, marriage, spouse, lifespan, longevity, wealth and comforts, career or profession, profit and loss, they will advice to refer specific part or chapter.’ You may have to make number of visits to find out the relevant leaf and get informed about the answers to your questions. Also there are parts or chapters (Kandams) for remedies (Shanti Kandam), performance jebam (Deeksha Kandam), medicine (Oushadha Kandam) and prosperity (Dasa Bhukthi Kandam). More you visit more money you have to pay.
Sins (Doshams) and Remedies (Pariharams) in Nadi Astrology
According to the Saints the individuals are suffering due to the sins they have committed during their previous births. The individual will have realization about his or her sufferings and will approach this specific Nadi system / Nadi Astrologer for remedies. If you also want to know the reason for your sufferings (‘Doshams’) i e, disease, poverty, indebtedness, lack of children, late marriage etc, they will recommend remedies (‘Shanti Pariharams’) as told in 13th or 14th part or chapter (Shanti Kandam / Deeksha Kandam). Usually the remedies will include donations to Nadi Astrologer, visiting specific temples several times and feeding the poor or disabled people or donating money or clothes. Once you complete the remedial measures, all your sins will be erased and you will enjoy the comforts of life and as a result there will be peace and prosperity will flourish in your family.
Those who are satisfied with the predictions in relation to their past life could not find remedy for the sufferings in spite of their remedial measures performed with full devotion. Therefore the future predictions are not true and may be the guess work of the Nadi Astrologer. While few of the customers are able to appreciate the skill of the Nadi Astrologer in grasping the relevant information relating to your past life through indirect questions, they are not prepared to trust the astrologer. No one can say that the astrologer to whom you are consulting is holding the genuine manuscript or his predictions are accurate. However the people are being ill advised to perform remedies with extensive homams, poojas, feeding the poor and donations to astrologers.
1. Nadi astrology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_astrology
2. Did a seer from India recorded your Past, Present and Future 2000 year ago? http://WNW.nadi-astrology.org/
3. Nadi Astrology – a Primer http://ejyotish.net/wordpress/?page_id=8