"Dahi-Cheeni: The Astrological Edge That led to an Indian Tradition"

तेरी उँची शान है, मौला

मेरी अर्ज़ी मान ले, मौला

तू है सब कुछ जानने वाला

मैं हूँ तेरा मानने वाला

मुझको भी तो lift करा दे

थोड़ी सी तो lift करा दे

One of the songs I loved growing up was this gem from Adnan Sami where he's appealing to the almighty to level-up his life. We are all trying to get to higher levels in whatever we are pursuing. And when everyone wants the same things (one of them being money), astrology hacks will make it to culture, because everyone will be integrating them in their life. Minister will copy what he sees the king do before important events. From Minister the practice will go to his staff, and before the next king takes over, the whole country is doing it.

In Indian culture, consuming dahi-cheeni (sweet yogurt) before significant events like exams or interviews is a common practice. My mother also adhered to this tradition. While initially, I perceived it as mere cultural observance, my study of jyotish (Vedic astrology) provided insight into the reasoning behind it.

Indian President feeding Dahi Cheeni to Prime Minister elect Narandra Modi before his swearing in ceremony

Dahi-cheeni symbolizes a combination of the Moon and Jupiter, astrological forces that, when combined, form the auspicious Gaja Kesari yoga. This yoga, when present in a birth chart, is believed to bestow kingly status and success.

Let me give you an interesting example: Maruti Suzuki has a Gaja Kesari yoga at the time of the company's IPO. It also has other significant dhana yogas, but Kārakas of wealth Jupiter and Moon make sure Maruti is the king of the Indian automobile sector, dominating the market even as strong global competitors have come in. The stock has done phenomenally.

Consuming dahi-cheeni before an important endeavor is akin to invoking the potent energy of Gaja Kesari yoga, providing an added advantage to our efforts. While personal dedication and hard work constitute the majority of our success, this practice is believed to offer that delta advantage that we need in competitive situations.

For best results, Mother or Child can offer dahi-cheeni to the person, their kārakas being Moon and Jupiter respectively.