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Future imperfect
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Poor Pluto's demotion won't change the way we live, say astrologers. But teachers are caught in a bind, writes SERISH NANISETTI
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"I saw Pluto about 500 km closer than earthlings and it looks the same as it does from earth. It doesn't make a difference if it is downgraded. It affects only the scientific community and the people who are into quizzing." That was the reaction of Rakesh Sharma, India's first man in space. The demotion of Pluto, which has created uproar in a divided scientific community, has sent classrooms into a tizzy. And a networked generation is asking questions. "The moment I walked into the class the students bombarded me with questions about the planet. It is good to know that the students are aware, but we should be wary of the information flow," says Fatima Mary, a middle-school teacher. "We want to wait and watch but all the information in the media should be correct. We will continue to teach what is in the syllabus till the Board changes it. Now, a rethink will have to be done about mnemonic clues used for teaching children. We will have to teach Class I students that there are nine planets with a rider that the information will change. That will be tough.
What about Xena?
Madhu Vijay Kumar, who teaches Social Studies at a Kendriya Vidyalaya, has decided to ignore the brouhaha: "If they are planning to include Xena as a planet, then I will have to devise a new mnemonic trick. I have decided not to teach the children all the confusing things that are being reported and am waiting for the picture to get clear." Remember the mnemonic My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets? (In some versions she also Just Sat Under Nine Pillows and in some misogynistic and post-Pluto versions, somebody's Very Energetic Mother Just Screamed Utter Nonsense.)
Astral reorganisation?
That apart, will this academic downgrading of Pluto change the future of people due to astral reorganisation?
Rest assured, your future is going to be as "predicted" and will not go haywire by the International Astronomical Union's vote.According to Gorasa Veerabhadracharyulu, who teaches astrology: "Nothing will happen. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were never factored in for our astrological prediction. So nothing will change."
What about people's faith in astrology? "Their faith is not going to be affected as our predictions are dictated more by Upasana (75 per cent) and not just by astral bodies (only 25 per cent)."
But not all predictions are influenced by Upasana. There are palmists who are sure that there are nine planets, 27 stars and 12 zodiac signs. Some of them rely on face reading to predict the near future and planetary positions to predict what happens in the long run.
So if Pluto is no longer a planet, will people's future change? "You have to give money. Then only we can tell you if the future will be same or different," one of the palmists said.
Predictable, what?
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