Happy Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Nevreh, Vishu, Cheti Chand, Bohag Bihu, Vaishaki from Sojourn With San!

Greetings on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (11^th /12^th April)- it is when the New Moon is in Pisces and so is the Sun in the last degrees. It is believed that this was the period when Lord Brahma created the world. It is a year since I started the Astrology section too. And I am learning a lot as I write and I hope you are enjoying what I write. Annually the Pratipada Thithi is studied for each country and it sets the tone for the year to come. This is indeed the New Year which is known as Yugadi or Ugadi and is celebrated as the New Year in many states of India such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra to name a few. This is the day to start afresh. The name of this year is Plava Nama Samvatsara – the year of wisdom and knowledge.

In the homes that celebrate Ugadi, the new almanac or Panchang is worshipped and a special pachadi made from raw mango (sour), neem flower (bitter), jaggery (sweet), red chilli (spice) and salt is used signifying that we have to take all the emotions with equanimity. I hope to document the celebrations separately in another blog.

The Sun makes its transit into Aries from Pisces and has completed an entire round of the sidereal zodiac and this solar calendar date is celebrated as the New Year in Tamil Nadu. This is indeed the scientific way to calculate the new year instead of the Gregorian calendar. For more details you could go back to my very first article.

Half the month of April is already over and the effects of last month is still feeling the effects of the Rahu-Mars conjunction or Angarak Yoga in March, what with the new variants of the virus, the spike, earthquakes in Indonesia, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh in just the last two weeks. You can read about the Angarak Yoga here, that started on February 22nd and that will end on April 14th.

So lets’ see what April 2021 is all about.

• Rahu is in Taurus and Ketu is in Scorpio, which means the healing process is still in motion. As we see there are new vaccines and studies coming regularly.
• April 1st – April 13th – The Kala Sarpa Yoga formation is there till April 13^th.

This is when all the planets are on one side of Rahu and Ketu. As expected, we have seen extreme highs and lows throughout this time. When Mars enters Gemini on April 13th, the Kala Sarpa Yoga is broken. This means all that is occurring is karmic and the results will have a far-reaching effect in the years to come and there are lessons to be learnt for humanity.

• April 1st – April 4th Jupiter in Capricorn 29 degrees
• April 5^th Jupiter entered Aquarius and will remain there till 21^st June, when it gets retrograde and enters Capricorn in the month of September 15^th. It stops `its retrograde motion in October 19^th and then re-enters Aquarius on November 21^st 2021 and is there till April 13^th 2022.  The retrograde motion is the time to watch out for- but remember it is temporary. This means Jupiter’s work in Capricorn is not over. The retrograde motion will make sure that he achieves his agenda at that time. Make major decisions after November 2021!

Perhaps this is the most significant transit of the month. When Guru enters the Kumbha Rashi, he is welcomed by the Kumbha Mela, but this is due only in 2022 as the last Kumbha in Haridwar was in 2010. But for reason unknown, this time they are holding it in 2021.  As per a legend, the four places associated with Kumbh Mela (Nashik, Haridwar, Prayagraj and Ujjain) are believed to be the places where the divine nectar of immortality fell when the Devas attempted to save the pot of the elixir from the Asuras. This is celebrated every twelve years and the place is rotated in turn.

This is a positive transit largely, as last year, Jupiter was in Sagittarius hemmed between Saturn and Ketu in 2019. Jupiter then entered its sign of debilitation that is Capricorn. But with Saturn in Capricorn, there was a Neecha Bhanga Raj Yoga, that had pulled him out of debilitation. Now he is in Aquarius and is slowly going towards Pisces, its natural house of exaltation in Pisces in 2022. But even now he is not in his best place, as he is hemmed between Saturn and Sun, the two malefic planets and this gives rise to the Papa Kartari Yoga, which takes away some of the benefits. But that will disappear when Mars moves into Gemini on April 13^th.

That said, Jupiter in Aquarius is all about humanity. There will be growth in science and this period augurs well for inventions and discoveries. Jupiter will start giving its healing process slowly. Jupiter will increase co-operation amongst nations and each other.  It will be the time when people will become aware and want to get their power back. It is not very evident, but the undercurrents will begin. There is a birthing process. The outer planets will dictate the world events- which I will not go into.

• April 8th – April 10th – Venus is Gandanta 

The planets in Gandanta always indicate extreme weather.

• April 11th – As mentioned earlier, the New Moon was at 28 degrees of Pisces in the Nakshatra Revati. It is in the last degrees of a water sign, going to the first degrees of a fire sign- means it is in Gandanta. I myself have seen people experiencing hopelessness during this time in my circle of friends. Many places will experience floods- and yes- as I write- the news talks about a flood of Covid cases.

This is also the time of the Vedic New Year when the new moon is in Pisces.

• April 13th – Mars enters Gemini from Taurus and will remain till 1^st June and breaks the Kala Sarpa Yoga; He also breaks the conjunction with Rahu, when they were together in Taurus.

But Mars is not always happy here as Mars and the owner of Gemini- Mercury are not friends. But the sheer separation from Rahu is a relief. Also, a Parivartana Yoga happens as mentioned below. But Jupiter in Aquarius will calm some aspects. But Mars aspect on Saturn agitates issues. Regarding Covid 19- Jupiter in Aquarius will only help, if people cooperate, follow rules or else, we have to wait till April 2022, when Jupiter moves to Pisces. So, definitely the next 6 weeks if there are large gatherings, it will be very chaotic and is not boding well to contain the virus in the coming weeks.

•  April 15th – April 16th – Mercury is in Gandanta and moves from Pisces to Aries (water to fire sign) (the last sign to the first). Hence, it is of significance at the personal and world issues. Sun, Venus and Mercury are making this crossing this month. You would have read about Gandanta in my previous articles.

Venus that was combust the Sun, crossed over on April 9^th –  

Moon went over on April 11^th

Sun goes over on April 13^th to its exaltation sign. This is the Mesha Gandanta Sankaranti.

Mercury goes over April 16^th and is there with the exalted Sun.

On this day, Mercury will be in the sign of Aries and Mars will be in the sign of Gemini. This is a Parivartana Yoga (mutual exchange of signs) and both Mercury and Mars are powerful at this time. Mercury will behave like it is Gemini while Mars will behave as if it is the sign of Aries.

Mars behaving as it is in Aries will provoke social unrest and retaliation globally. Mercury reacting as it is in Gemini brings clarity to the many misrepresentations and delusions. This will begin to open up more flights and travel bans around the world. 

• April 18th – Mars and Pluto 6/8 relationship (quincunx) 2 degrees Gemini/Capricorn

Watch out. Mars represents violence that can result in major changes in the world economy and government reforms. Social media will be transforming as the world understands all the manipulation by various government.

• April 26th – Full Moon 12 degrees Libra in Nakshatra Swati

The full moon in Libra is a time of negotiations, compromise, and balance. Libra is the sign that can bring stability to leadership and will balance the budget within the world economy. The moon is in Swati (ruled by Rahu) and at the same time the Sun will be in Ashwini Nakshatra (ruled by Ketu). This will be powerful especially in the economy and how money transactions will happen.

In a nutshell, there are many things that come to a closure; tap into your power and maintain your balance!

(My obeisance to Sage Parasara who gave us the treatise Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra; Sage VarahaMihira who wrote the Brihat Samhita Hora, and the current astrologers Joni Patry, Komilla Sutton, Puniett, Satish Menon and a host of other experts who have made astrology comprehensible to the layman. I am attempting this essay only because of them. Any errors are only mine.)

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