Mars146; bars

With Mars up close in the South-south-east and a period of disasters on land and sea, it8217;s hard not to imagine that a malefic influence...

With Mars up close in the South-south-east and a period of disasters on land and sea, it8217;s hard not to imagine that a malefic influence prevails from above. In fact, Angaraka or Mars, by Indian astrological reckoning is a Nice Guy. He rules Tuesday Mangalvar and is associated with all things 8216;mangal8217; auspicious. And his very birth derives from one of the most thrilling events in Hindu mythology. When Shiva first danced his Tandava, he worked up a fine sweat. This fell on Bhumi Devi and so was Angaraka, aka Bhumi Kumar, born. In Hindu astrology he is entreated to bestow land, good, kind brothers and a happy marriage.

There8217;s a lovely song on Mars by Muthuswami Dikshitar 1775-1835. It is one of his Navagraha kritis: Angarakam ashrayamyaham I take refuge in Angaraka. Since Mars is a Mangala Graha, Dikshitar has set his sahitya in Surati, a Mangala Raga, one that is sung on auspicious occasions. Dikshitar8217;s composition describes Angaraka8217;s attributes: his red robes, spear, trident, beautiful neck and hands, his mount, the Ram Capricorn. He is also the Lord of the constellations Aries and Scorpio. Angaraka8217;s celestial friends include the Sun, Moon and Jupiter Surya, Soma and Brihaspati the preceptor of the devas. He rejoices in the special grace and favour of Kartikeya the War Lord. Angaraka, of the luminous red eyes, wears a benign, beautiful smile and his neck and hands are very lovely. He is particularly tender to the weak and the ill, who seek him at his 8216;favourite8217; Shiva temple, Vaidiswaran Lord of Healers Kovil in Tamil Nadu.

But guess why Raga Surati is considered auspicious? Some raga names are said to indicate their place of origin Kambhoji from Kambuja/ Cambodia, Gurjari from the NFWP Gurjara Desha, Pahari obvious!, Sindhubhairavi from along the Indus and Surati/Soratti from that prosperous stretch crossed by the two west-flowing rivers, Narmada and Tapti, bound in the east by Malwa, in the west by the Arabian Sea, in the north by Saurashtra and in the south by the Sahyadris. The rich port of Brighukachha Bharuch adorned this land. Any wonder that Surati is considered 8216;mangal8217;?

It8217;s like why opals are considered unlucky in the West. The Victorians got to wear opals only after they began mining them in Australia. But opals have been discovered to have a high water content. When Englishwomen warmed their hands by the fire, the moisture dried, the expensive opals shrank and fell out of their settings. So they got branded 8216;unlucky8217;! No harm in folding our hands to the Navagraha and honouring the stunning imagination of our ancestors. They left us the most exciting stories on earth and we love them for it. But no point in letting Mars spook us, is there?