Spooked by the stars

In recent days, as the tumult and excitement over the UPA's "big bang" reforms began to subside, New Delhi — arguably the most political place on earth, with the possible exception of Washington within the Beltway — had been agog, indeed obsessed, with the long overdue cabinet reshuffle. The hopefuls were waiting with bated breath and keeping their fingers crossed that nothing would go wrong at the last minute. Those with deep foreboding that they might get the order of the boot because of their thoroughly exposed shenanigans were busy moving heaven and earth somehow to survive.

The ever-watchful media was reporting the situation from minute to minute, each paper and TV channel updating its list of "ins and outs". Day after day, every report stated that the "rejig" was only 24, or at most, 48 hours away. On September 27, there was an hour-long meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, which was supposed to have clinched the reshuffle issue. Prolonged consultations at various levels, including at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, had been concluded already. But then surprises never cease.

The next morning I was startled when newspapers reported that, according to Congress sources, after all the high drama, the reshuffle of the council of ministers was likely to be deferred until after the middle of October. I was confused because this made no sense. But I am afraid I was being forgetful, if not foolish. After only a brief reflection the penny dropped. I remembered that October 1 to October 15 is the inauspicious period of shraadhs, during which the devout mourn their forbears and departed dear ones, hold special prayers for them and never initiate any new venture or activity. The joyous and auspicious era begins with the first of the nine navratris — the number can vary a little from year to year, depending on the diktat of the priest you trust — which falls this year on October 16.

... contd.

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