Mangalore air crash- an astrological analysis of aviation disasters.

Written by Jayasree Saranathan

and published in the Astrological eMagazine, July, 2010 issue.

The horrific air crash at Mangalore on 22-05-2010 brings to the mind of the astrologer
the wide range of travel yogas prescribed by our sages. In today’s fast life of frequent
commutations around the world, it is not possible to adhere to travel yogas at all times.
Today, seeking astrological guidance for travel is restricted to foreign travel or for travel
on important chores.

The reason for the decline in adherence to astrological norms of travel is because travel
has become part of everyday activity nowadays. But when we hear deadly mishaps like
the Mangalore air crash, we realize that we do have to work on the travel norms given by
sages to suit the present day travel systems. In this article, let us see some basic
astrological indications for mishaps in air travel.

Importance of Drekkana.

Conventional wisdom of astrology dictates that the rising Drekkana at the time of a
journey plays a crucial role in determining the success or failure of the journey. Writing
on the Drekkana adhyaya of Brihad Jataka, Prof B. Suryanarain Rao quotes from Yatra
Patala to explain 3 types of indicators from the Drekkanas. According to him, the rising
Drekkana at the time of journey must be analyzed with reference to the form, actions and
nature of the Drekkana. Based on this, the success of a travel can be predicted.

The Drekkana with serpents, vulture, oil, bondage, curtailment etc indicate accidents.
The Drekkana with agreeable appearance, bearing flowers, fruits, gems or treasures and
aspected by benefics, indicate a safe journey. If the drekkana has a man equipped with
arms, then also the journey will be safe. But if malefics aspect the Drekkana lord or the
Drekkana lagna, then it foretells trouble. So the basic advice from astrological point of
view is to fix take-off timings in benefic drekkanas to avert disasters.

When this writer analyzed scores of air crash charts, it was found out that the exact
timings of take off are not available (not recorded) in most cases. The mishap timings are
anyway available. When checked for the rising Drekkana at the time of mishap, it
unmistakably fits in. When the rising Drekkana was an auspicious natured one, the
fatalities were nil or less, even if the aircraft had run into an accident. So if we hear of an
accident, then the accident- time itself will indicate whether it was a massive one or freak
one with not much human loss. An easy-to refer table on drekkanas for the 12 signs is
given here to know the malefic drekkanas that have a potential to cause disasters. It must
be remembered that in the case of benefic drekkanas, there must be no malefic aspects on
the Drekkana lagna or Drekkana lord in the rasi and in the Drekkana chart.

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(Note:- Wherever it is mentioned as good but armed or not pleasant, it must be
ascertained that no malefic aspect is there on the Drekkana )

Signs I -Drekkana II - Drekkana III – Drekkana

Aries Good, but armed. Benefic Good, but angry and

Must be devoid of armed.
malefic aspect.

Taurus Good, but thirsty and Good but with Benefic

with torn ringlets. axe.

Gemini Good but issueless Good but armed. Benefic

and in menses.

Cancer Benefic Malefic Malefic

Leo Malefic Good but armed. Malefic

Virgo Benefic Good but not Benefic

pleasant
Libra Benefic Good but not Good but armed.
pleasant

Scorpio Malefic Malefic Not pleasant

Sagittarius Benefic Benefic Benefic

Capricorn Malefic Good but not Good but armed.

pleasant

Aquarius Malefic Malefic Good but not pleasant

Pisces Benefic Benefic Malefic

Importance of upagrahas.

Another leaf from the conventional wisdom of the sages is the utility of upagrahas in
determining the inauspiciousness of a time for travel. Utility of Upagrahas is a forgotten
knowledge today. Upagrahas are useful for determining the safety and success of a travel.
Upagraha also plays a role in prasna astrology because the position of the upagrahas is
indicative of good or bad of a given time. It was in that sense sage Vyasa mentioned their
position while recounting the bad omens before the start of Kuruskshetra war.

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In air crash charts we find the relevance of upagrahas. Among the upagrahas Gulika plays
the primary role. When Gulika is associated with Ketu or posited in the asterism of Ketu,
it indicates fire accidents. The lord of the sign where Gulika is posited must be free of
blemishes. Gulika, Dhooma, Kaala, Vyatipata and Upaketu ( these are upagrahas of
Saturn, Mars, Sun, Rahu and Ketu respectively) are seen to play an important role in
accident charts. Their position in the 8th and 12th in accident time, their association with
malefics and their aspect or association with moon are some features found in accident
time charts.

This writer has collected info on most major air accidents of the world and segregated
them based on the causes, such as runway overshoots, those struck by lightening, bird-hit
ones, mid-air collisions, pilot errors, bad weather, bombs (sabotage) etc.

Some basic astrological features are seen in all. The affliction to moon determines the
extent of the fatalities. In freak accidents involving less or no fatalities, the basic
astrological features are not predominant. A positive influence by aspect or association of
Jupiter on moon reduces the fatality rate. But Jupiter must be in own or exalted house or
friendly house with no retrograde motion. The positive strength of Jupiter is determined
by the sign where it is posited. If it is in enmity or debility or in retrogression in
exaltation and own houses, Jupiter is helpless.

Let me list down the most common features seen in all air accidents.

• Mercury stands for transportation. The affliction to mercury is a basic feature.

• The 3rd house in the Natural zodiac stands for short trips. This is Gemini. Gemini also
signifies airy sign. Affliction to Gemini is another primary feature in all air accidents.

• The 3rd from Mercury is afflicted in most air accidents. The 3rd from accident time also
is afflicted.

• The afflicting planet in most cases is Mars signifying explosion, accident and fire.

• Saturn as airy planet also has a role in air mishaps.

• If moon is transiting in the stars associated with the above points and is devoid of
positive influence of Jupiter at the time of mishap, the fatalities are certain.

• Saturnine connection to Mercury or moon is also seen in most air mishaps denoting a
hazard in the air.

• The above mentioned 5 upagrahas will be in malefic connections or in malefic houses

particularly in 8th and 12th from accident time lagna.

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• The accident time lagna will be in malefic drekkanas. The affliction caused to Drekkana
lagna and its lord determines the severity of the accident and the death toll.

Starting from the Mangalore air crash, let us analyze some air crash charts.

The chart for the crash time of Mangalore accident is given here.

• The rising lagna is in 1st Drekkana in Taurus. This is just good but needs to be
fortified by benefics. But it is not. In the Drekkana chart the Drekkana lord Venus
is in Gemini aspected by 3 malefics, Mars, Saturn and Rahu.
• The lagna is in Krittika, lorded by Fire God (6=09 degrees) The Sun is close to
the lagna at 6=50 degrees.
• Mercury in the fiery sign, in the star of Ketu that stands for gory death. Ketu is
aspected by retro Saturn. Saturn turning retro in a friendly sign becomes
unfriendly! In addition it is in the star of fiery sun.
• The 3rd from Mercury is Gemini. It is occupied by Ketu which is aspected by
Rahu and Saturn. Venus also is posited there in the star of Rahu which signifies
sky. Venus is afflicted.
• Moon was transiting the star of Venus at the time of mishap. In addition, moon
suffers papa karthari being hemmed in between malefics – Mars in the star of
Mercury and Saturn in the star of Sun. So the fiery element was the cause of
fatalities.
• Jupiter in own house was helpless as it did not cast any aspect on moon or
mercury or Gemini.
• Among upagrahas, Gulika aspects Mars in the 3rd from lagna. Mercury suffers
affliction from Upaketu, Kaala and Vyatipata while Dhooma joins Saturn. All the
3 in Aries (Mer,UpaK and Kaa) are in the asterism of ketu.

Just a couple of months ago, a similar runway overshoot happened in Mwanza airport of
Tanzania. While attempting to land, the aircraft swerved off the runway and skidded for

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about a kilometer before coming to a stop. The front landing gear collapsed during the
skid. All 39 passengers and crew of 7 escaped unhurt. Moon was in papakarthari at that
time also similar to Mangalore air crash time. But the crash did not result in any casualty.
Let us see why.

• The rising lagna is in the 3rd Drekkana in Aquarius. This is just good but needs to
be fortified by benefics. Jupiter is posited in the lagna. The 8th aspect of Mars is
not bad as Mars is in retrogression in debility. In the Drekkana chart the Drekkana
lord Venus is in own house aspected by Jupiter. Jupiter has offered the
cushioning.
• The lagna is in the asterism of Jupiter. Jupiter in lagna has protected both Mercury
and the Moon which is hemmed in-between the malefics.
• The 3rd from Mercury is free of afflictions.
• The natural 3rd of the Zodiac (Gemini) is afflicted by Ketu and upagrahas which
are aspected by Saturn. This is a sure sign of something going wrong with the
aircraft. But Jupiter also aspects Gemini, thereby minimizing the damage.

In contrast to the Tanzania crash, the Brazil air crash that happened on 17-07-2007
bears resemblance to Mangalore crash. It was also a runway overshoot. The aircraft
skidded off the runway and crashed into a warehouse next to a petrol station and
caught fire thereby killing all the passengers and some persons in the warehouse. The
overall death toll was 199.

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• The rising lagna is in the 2rd Drekkana in Capricorn. This is just good but needs to
be fortified by benefics. Unfortunately there is no benefic aspect on the Lagna.
Moreover Gulika joins the lagna. In the Drekkana chart the Drekkana lord Venus
is afflicted in the fiery sign of Leo by Saturn and Rahu. Jupiter is helpless in
reducing the affliction. Moreover Jupiter is retro in a friendly sign in rasi joined
by Dhooma.
• Mercury is in the natural 3rd joined by Upaketu. The 3rd from Mercury is a fiery
sign heavily afflicted by malefics. This also happens to be the 8th from lagna.
• Moon is caught in this affliction and additionally afflicted by Rahu and Kaala.
The affliction to moon is further aggravated by Mars (22 degrees Aries ) within
whose 4th aspect falls moon (12 degrees Leo)
• There is no mitigating benefic aspect to Gemini or Mercury or Moon or the 3rd
from Mercury.
• The 3rd from lagna is aspected by Jupiter, but Jupiter itself is rendered weak due to
retrogression in a friendly sign and by association with Dhooma.

In recent memory, another accident happened in the runway in Libya on 12-05-2010.

The aircraft crashed and disintegrated one-half a mile from the runway while
attempting to land at Tripoli International Airport. Ninety-two passengers and a crew
of 11 were killed. An 8 year old Dutch boy was the sole survivor. The accident chart
has similar placement of the 4 malefics as they were at the time of Mangalore air
crash and the Tanzania air crash which saw no casualty. Let us see how the
combinations worked towards a disaster that killed 103 persons.

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• The rising lagna is in 3rd Drekkana in Aries. This is just good and needs to be
fortified by benefics. But it is not. Here we see the hidden influence of upagrahas,
The Malefic planets do not cast their aspect on lagna. But the most important
Gulika and Vyatipata are aspecting the lagna and also moon and mercury thereby
causing affliction. In the Drekkana chart the Drekkana lord Jupiter is afflicted by
Mars and Saturn.
• The lagna is in Bharani, lorded by Yama.
• Mercury is in the fiery sign, in the star of Ketu that indicates gory death. Ketu is
in the 3rd from Lagna and from Mercury and is posited in the natural 3rd of the
Zodiac. It is aspected by retro Saturn which is joined by Dhooma. In addition the
sign Gemini receives the aspect of Kaala.
• Jupiter in own house is helpless as it does not cast any aspect on moon or mercury
or Gemini.