A convention of South Asian astrologers and Hindu sages has warned India not to get "over-friendly" with its regional rivals, Pakistan and China.
At least 500 well-known astrologers and sages from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka gathered in the Assam state capital Guwahati at the weekend for the 40th International Jyotish Maha Sammelan (International Astrologers Meet) to discuss issues ranging from war and peace to the relevance of mysticism.
"If India becomes over-friendly with its neighbors and becomes complacent about its security, a time might come when those very neighbors could prove to be their worst enemies", predicted K.A. Dubey, president of the All India Astrologers Forum.
"There could be a threat from Pakistan, China or from any of Indias neighbors if the security forces are not on alert," Dubey said.
Most of the astrologers said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's coalition government would see out its full five-year term, despite some "hiccoughs" along the way.
"The planetary positions favor the Prime Ministers march towards a full term despite some rough patches in-between," said Swami Gitanand Saraswati, a Hindu astrologer specializing in Islamic scriptures.
However, Saraswati also forecast that Vajpayee would die in office.
A number of Hindu sages who attended the meet said that despite developments in science and technology, many in the Indian sub-continent came to them for guidance in resolving personal problems and family matters.
"What modern science and astrologers cannot do, the tantrics (Hindu sages) are capable of doing," said Amarjit Sharma, a well-known astrologer and tantric medium.
"A tantric is capable of changing the life of an ordinary men and make him a king, although not literally," he said -- GUWAHATI (AFP)
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