Movement against astrology:

Dr.Abraham Kowoor was the First man who practically bought the rationalism in to movement. He used a popular tool of challenge of Rs 1 Lakh against the godmen’s miracles in 1972. In the List there was Challenge regarding Astrology.
Ten palmprints or horoscopes having birthplace with correct latitude & longitude, Birthtime correct up to minutes will be given to astrologer. He is supposed to tell only two things. 1) Whether the person is Male Or Female & 2) Dead or Alive with 5% tolerance.

Nobody had accepted the challenge at that time.Maharashtra Andhashradha Nirmoolan Samiti further enhanced this amount up to 2lakhs & now 5 Lakhs.Media has given wide publicity to this challenge from time to time.The tolerance was even released to 20%.But still nobody has accepted it. The challenge achieved a goal that people started thinking or questioning. Is it not really possible tell even present? Not a single learned astrologer through out India for so many years? May not for money but for image of astrology?It is not necessary to have deep knowledge of astrology for criticism. On logical level if one cannot tell even present correctly how can he forecast? With reference to past “present” becomes future.
The unknown mystery always develop curiosity to make it known. This is the reason why science has reached to such developed state.Future is also unknown to us & human being tried to glimpse it. If we could know the future at present it is possible to manage disaster. This thought lead to develop the astrology in different way. Man tried to corelate the terrestrial events with celestial events,

Maharashtra Andhashradha Nirmulan Samati always defends Astrology on every possible level. 1. Challenge level 2. Education level 3. Experimental level

Challenge level is a popular & Glamorous tool for the movement. It gets support of media. Educational level is a process to educate people giving details of failed predictions. To let people think regarding counter part of Astrology which is generally not available for them. To show internal contradictions of astrology in Siddhanta level or postulate level. Apart from the challenge the experiments were made on astrology. Experimental level is to let the people get the experience of predictions to check possible claims of astrology. We tell the people to experience the experiment of past events. A horoscope of babay born & immediately died was given to astrologer by a doctor.Docter even asked whether is there possibility of short life? Astrologer told that she was going to live very well.

Let people choose any astrologer of their belief. Elderly people have at least three – four incidents in their life which are very objective e.g. marriage, major accidents, promotions, sudden death in family etc. Tell astrologer either year of event or event. And let the astrologer tell the remaining part. We don’t want even month or date just year is sufficient. If astrologer could tell it correctly you may say there is something in astrology.

We have found that these themes made good atmosphere to make people think. But acceptance on practical level found very difficult. To digest uncertainty of life is not a simple thing. The education is slow process but the only way . We understand man is not a machine.

Maharashtra ANS has handled the matter of astrology on various levels. Dr. Narendra Dabholkar had given challenge to All India Astrological Convention, Late Dr. B.N. Purandare famous gynecologist in Mumbai, Late Shahu Modak – Astrologer as well as film-star, Dr. Bhavana Mehta from Kolhapur,Mr Girish Shah from Sangli. But all these matter remained in bracket for news papers. Actual process of challenge never started.

Because of this opposition astrologers have admitted that male or female, dead or alive are limitations of Astrology. We just guide with the help of astrology. It is divine science not a modern science, it is occult science.

Astrology works only because of uncertainty in life. It is a psychiatric treatment on astrological background . It is a type of counseling. It is never been proved on statistical & scientific level. But in our society mental health is paid least attention.