Communists may be ideologically against superstition and astrology, but A P Abdullakutty, the CPI(M) MP from Kannur, the party citadel in North Kerala, has sought refuge in Nadi astrology, the art of reading one’s destiny from thumbs.

In the first issue of Yathra, a travel magazine published by the Mathrubhumi newspaper group, Abdullakutty has penned an article on his spiritual journey to Vaitheeswaran Koil, in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, famous for the centuries-old Nadi astrology. In the article, the MP said he had squatted in front of a Nadi astrologer, in his search for his birthday, which his family had failed to give all these years. After having got the birthday, the star and other related details of his horoscope, the comrade said he had emerged out of the village a contented man.

Abdullakkutty, a supporter of V S Achuthanandan, went to Thanjavur last month soon after the CPI(M)-DYFI combine’s hunt against superstitions, launched after the arrest of fake godman Santhosh Madavan. The DYFI had dubbed its drive against fake god men as “second renaissance”, and several innocent swamis were attacked during the drive.

In the article ‘Your thumb says it all’, Abdullakutty writes that his date of birth has been an issue haunting him all these years. He had not celebrated birthdays as he did not know the exact date. He said the journey to Vaitheeswaran Koil was a search for destiny, after he had exhausted all other means.

“It is believed that the past, present and future of all humans were foreseen and recorded by ancient sages like Vasishta and Agastya in palm leaves and kept in Vaitheeswaran Koil. There is a scripture pertaining to each individual, comprising all details from birth to death.”

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