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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Poriborton!

BJP candidate for Bhabanipur and Nandigram constituencies Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the prestigious Bhabanipur seat, shows a certificate of election on Monday. Pic: PTI Mumbai: The Bengali word “Poriborton” translates to profound change. While it was initially fiercely utilized as the central battle cry for the assembly elections in West Bengal, the final tally from all five state elections reveals that the spirit of the word has swept across...

Poriborton!

BJP candidate for Bhabanipur and Nandigram constituencies Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the prestigious Bhabanipur seat, shows a certificate of election on Monday. Pic: PTI Mumbai: The Bengali word “Poriborton” translates to profound change. While it was initially fiercely utilized as the central battle cry for the assembly elections in West Bengal, the final tally from all five state elections reveals that the spirit of the word has swept across the entire nation. The recent electoral outcomes have fundamentally rewritten the established rules of Indian democracy. From a massive anti-incumbency wave overturning fifteen years of rule in Bengal, to a political novice shattering a six-decade Dravidian stronghold in Tamil Nadu, and the Congress-led alliance successfully dislodging the incumbent Left in Kerala, the electorate has delivered a highly decisive mandate. Alongside sweeping consolidations of power in Assam and Puducherry, these results collectively disrupt historical traditions and reshape the national political landscape for years to come. Titan Toppled In West Bengal, the call for Poribartan finally resonated with enough force to bring down a formidable political fortress. A relentless anti-incumbency wave has overturned Mamata Banerjee’s fifteen-year rule. For a decade and a half, the Trinamool Congress maintained an iron grip on the state’s narrative, having previously ousted the Left Front on the very same promise of sweeping change. The defeat of the incumbent government signifies a monumental shift in the political psychology of Bengal. The electorate, driven by an urgent desire for a new direction, has dismantled a deeply entrenched political machine. This result forces a complete recalibration of power dynamics in eastern India, leaving a massive political vacuum that victorious forces will now rush to fill, fundamentally altering the governance trajectory of the state. Duopoly Shattered Equally seismic is the political earthquake that has struck Tamil Nadu. For six decades, the state’s political arena was fiercely guarded by a seemingly unbreakable Dravidian duopoly, with power alternating predictably between established giants. However, the emergence of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by cinema icon Thalapathy Vijay, has dismantled this historical dominance. By emerging as the single-largest party in the assembly count, the TVK has achieved what generations of politicians deemed impossible. This is not merely a change in government but a profound cultural and political revolution. The voters of Tamil Nadu have overwhelmingly opted for a fresh narrative, proving that star power coupled with an untested political promise can still upend deeply rooted ideological empires, ushering in an entirely new era of leadership. Absolute Dominance Meanwhile, the political landscape in the Northeast has witnessed a different kind of decisive mandate. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has not only retained power but has emerged significantly stronger, securing a third consecutive term. This victory effectively cements an aggressive regional hegemony and signals the near-total ouster of the Congress party from Assam’s mainstream politics. The result brings an ironclad continuity to the state, allowing the incumbent administration to push forward its agenda without any formidable legislative friction, while leaving the state’s oldest party desperately searching for political relevance. Pendulum Swings In Kerala, the electorate has delivered a decisive blow to the incumbent Left Democratic Front. The Congress-led United Democratic Front has successfully dislodged the government, claiming a vital victory in a state renowned for its fiercely contested, oscillating elections. This resurgence of the UDF injects critical new life into the state’s Congress machinery, drastically altering the governance model in Kerala. The outcome firmly proves that the traditional pendulum of Kerala politics still possesses the momentum to swing back fiercely against the incumbent, denying the Left a continued and uninterrupted grip on power. Comfortable Continuity Further down the coast in Puducherry, the mandate favored stability within a rapidly changing national map. The National Democratic Alliance government, led by the AINRC, comfortably secured its return to power. This victory ensures that the NDA maintains a crucial administrative foothold in the southern union territory, providing a steady anchor for its regional allies amid the broader national churn. When viewed collectively, these independent state results weave a complex tapestry that will inevitably reshape national politics. The fall of towering regional satraps in West Bengal and the disruption of the historic Dravidian stronghold in Tamil Nadu indicate a national electorate that is deeply restless and entirely unafraid to discard legacy systems. For the national opposition, the revival in Kerala offers a much-needed glimmer of hope, though it is heavily overshadowed by the existential crisis they face in Assam. The spectacular rise of new regional entities introduces a fresh, highly unpredictable variable into the national coalition arithmetic ahead of future general elections. Ultimately, the political center of gravity has fundamentally shifted, proving that “Poribartan” is no longer just a localized slogan, but the defining new reality of the country.

Beyond Ritual: The Science of Muhurata and Choghadiya

In Vedic science, auspicious and inauspicious have little to do with divine approval and everything to do with energy cycles shaped by planetary movement.

In my previous article, I discussed Hora and the movement of planets as understood through the concept of Varas. Building on that foundation, I had indicated that I would next turn to Muhurata and Choghadiya, two time-selection concepts that play an equally important role in traditional astrological practice.


Since time immemorial, we have been told that certain Muhuratas are auspicious while others are inauspicious. The same holds true for Choghadiya. Over generations, these classifications have been accepted almost unquestioningly, despite many debates and challenges to the rationale behind why a particular time period is considered suitable or unsuitable for a specific activity.

Before delving into the science behind this, it is important to clarify that in Vedic science, the concepts of auspicious and inauspicious are rooted in energy cycles and the influence of celestial bodies, not divine approval. Just as tides respond to the Moon and hormones to the Sun, these time periods are understood for their energetic impact rather than superstition.


According to Vedic science, a day is systematically divided into several time units: 3,600 Vighatis of 24 seconds each, 60 Ghatis of 24 minutes each, 24 Horas of one hour each, 30 Muhuratas of 48 minutes each, and 15 Choghadiyas of 96 minutes each.


'Muhurata' (or 'Muhurta') in Sanskrit means 'muhu' (moment) and 'rta' (cosmic order). Nowhere does it talk about God or Divine power. We all have heard about Brahma Muhuratas, which start 96 minutes before sunrise. As per Vedic science, it is considered to be the best time for self-growth, exercise, yoga and learning. As per modern science, that’s the time of atmospheric purity with the presence of nascent oxygen – a single atom of oxygen that is highly reactive and can easily combine with haemoglobin. Other Muhuratas during the day are Abhijit, Amrut, Shubh, Laabh, Kaal, Rog and Udveg.


Choghadiya is the 96-minute cycle, which, as per the Vedas, is important for our daily actions. Again, this is determined by the planetary movement.


The first Chogadiya (which starts at sunrise) is based on the ruler of that Hora. So the first Chogadiya of Sunday is ruled by the Sun. Various Choghadiyas are Udveg (Sun), Amrut (Moon), Rog (Mars), Laabh (Mercury), Shubh (Jupiter), Chal (Venus), and Kaal (Saturn). The sequence of Choghadiyas is the same as Hora – the ascending order of the relative orbital speed of planets to Earth – Saturn (Shani), Jupiter (Guru), Mars (Mangal), Sun (Ravi), Venus (Shukra), Mercury (Buddha), and Moon (Som).


Is it just a coincidence that the satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are programmed to orbit around Earth in 90-100 minutes? The International Space Station orbits around the Earth in 93 minutes. LEO Satellite is for Earth Observation and Remote Sensing and is responsible for gathering images for weather forecasting, crop health and disaster management. And the reason for it to be programmed at 93 minutes is that, as per modern science, that's the timeframe in which there is a material difference observed from Earth images. And Vedic science says that things change with every Chogadiya.


One more interesting fact – the position of Earth moves by 23.5 degrees at the end of every Chogadiya; 23.5 degrees is the angle of the Earth’s tilt on its axis, 23.5 degrees is the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, and 23.5 degrees is the distance of the polar circles from the poles. And as we have seen in the article on 108, the universe is very well synchronised.


To reiterate, our ancestors described Muhurata and Choghadiya as auspicious or inauspicious based on their understanding of energy cycles generated by planetary movements and their influence on life on Earth, rather than mere ritual or belief.


It is not that one cannot cross a river by rowing against the current; it is certainly possible. However, when the current is understood and one rows in harmony with it, the crossing becomes faster, smoother, and far less challenging.


(The writer is Founder and CEO of Beehive Capital Advisors Private Limited. Views personal.)

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