Indians turn to astrology to ease coronavirus fears

Astrologers are seeing a huge spike in demand, as India is set to record the world’s highest number of Covid-19 cases within weeks

From housewives to celebrities, politicians and Harvard graduates, Indians of all stripes have long turned to astrologers for guidance in times of stress

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Ajai Bhambi is an astrologer based in New Delhi, India. Photo: Handout

Published: 1:59pm, 27 Sep 2020Updated: 9:28am, 28 Sep 2020

“When will my father be released from the ICU?”

That’s not a question that Indian astrologer Ajai Bhambi is used to fielding.

Unflustered, he studied the patient’s constellation and other configurations. “The next few days are going to be critical,” the star-gazer told his client. “But he will stabilise and be moved out of ICU after about 10 days.”

Bhambi, a popular astrologer whose past clients include celebrities and tycoons, has been hearing more of such questions lately, as demand for astrological advice skyrockets in India, which is expected to have the world’s worst number of coronavirus cases in weeks.

A health care worker tests a woman for Covid-19 in Ahmedabad, India. Photo: Reuters

The country’s coronavirus tally was inching towards the 6-million mark on Sunday, with more than 94,000 deaths. It may soon surpass worst-hit United States, which has recorded more than 7 million infections. There was no sign of the virus plateauing.

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