(Note: This article was written by me early this year for Modern Astrology Magazine. It was published in the May 2015 issue of Modern Astrology. The same has been reproduce from there for the readers of my blog.)

With its tropical climate and unhygienic conditions of living India has always been endemic to many diseases like Malaria, Kala-azar , Cholear , smallpox, tuberculosis, plague etc. These erupt in the form of an epidemic when conditions are favorable for their spread. In Mundane Astrology or Medini Jyotish the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu are considered as the Karaka for epidemics and infectious diseases. The role of Saturn, which is the Dukhakaraka, also becomes important here as it also signifies mass deaths. In Mundane horoscopes, like foundation chart of countries and lunar charts, the 8^th house signifies the mass deaths from epidemics apart from many of its significations.

In my practice of this subject in the last couple of years, I have observed that whenever transiting Saturn gives aspect to the natal Rahu or Ketu in the foundation chart of India there is a danger of the spread of an infectious disease or epidemic in the country. At the same time if the Hindu New Year chart for that period concern has an afflicted 8^th house then that epidemic may give deaths in large number. Before taking some example let’s study the foundation chart of India first in this context.Continue Reading