Friday, 20 September 2024
Friday, 20 September 2024
Sital Dey, 66, stood in the pouring rain in knee-deep water in College Street’s Boi Para, umbrella in hand, a beret-type hat on his head, a determined look on his face. He had come from Sodepur by bus, a journey of at least one-and-half hours.
He hadn't foreseen the deluge that drowned a lot of Calcutta on Saturday, even though gazing into the future is his job; he is an astrologer.
Neither had the 100-odd other jyotishis who walked alongside Dey from College Street.
“A lot of us could not come for the rain,” said Arun Shastri, 42, an astrologer from Girish Park.
The Bongo Jyotish Samaj contingent, of which Dey and Shastri were part, walked on Saturday for the one cause that has united doctors and homemakers, YouTubers and sound recordists, teachers and students across Calcutta and Bengal – justice for the young doctor brutalised and killed in the heart of the state capital inside a government hospital while on duty.
“I have never seen protests bigger than this in my life,” Dey said. “This protest will be remembered in the history of Bengal. Look at the waterlogged streets and the depth of water but we still choose to walk.”
What is his prediction? Will the family of the victim get justice?
“My prediction is 100 per cent we will get justice and we will as a community keep this ongoing until and unless we get justice,” was Dey’s reply.
Asked what the stars foretell for Mamata Banerjee’s government, the astrologers were diplomatic.
“ I feel that there would be changes the public wishes to see in the government.” Dey said.
Shastri’s reply was more elaborate: “My prediction says this case would reach a good space in regards to justice by the month of November. I also feel that the time has come for the current political leaders of the state to focus on their people and work for them as well. 'Dekhun, shudhu sarkar bolle toh hobe na, manusher hoye kaj o korte hobe’ [See, they can’t just call themselves the government unless they work for the common man].”
Animesh Shastri, 62, an astrologer from Gariahat, was the most forthright: “There are high chances that the chief minister will change before 5 April or 24 September 2025.”
How did the astrologers choose the place of congregation? Were charts consulted?
“We chose this place as the incident happened in the heart of Kolkata, we as astrologers have a responsibility towards the society,” said Koushik Chakraborty, 43, an astrologer from Shyamnagar.
What is his prediction for the future? Will the family of the poor girl get justice?
“My prediction is that now we are protesting and in future there will be more protests and the criminal will get the strictest punishment possible,” Chakraborty said.
With College Street submerged under water, the astrologers waded towards Hedua. Two bigger protests in terms of size and volume, one by lawyers and the other by the DYFI, marched towards Lalbazar, to be stopped by the cops.
“I pray to god everyday that we get justice as soon as possible. The trainee doctor who had to go through so much deserves it. As astrologers we can only pray to get justice as soon as possible,” said Somnath Chakraborty, 43, from Shyambazar.
The astrologer association’s cries for justice had the same intensity as that of the politicians and the lawyers who preceded them.
As their protest ended, one shopkeeper who was busy securing books from the knee deep water said: “Ghotonata ta khub sorbonash korar moto" [This incident that has happened is quite dangerous].”
