Nand Kumar Bera displays the books written by him at his residence in Ranchi. Picture by Hardeep Singh

If during the day Nand Kumar Bera as head of the Bengali department in Ranchi University is preparing the students to face the future, in the evenings he is busy forecasting the future of the people who are constantly streaming in, which includes many of the who?s who of the city.

He himself acts coy and refuses to admit that he is responsible for changing the fate of many lives, but his followers claim otherwise.

From top politicians, bureaucrats, young job aspirants or those waiting to tie the knot, all have immense faith in his powers, about which Bera himself prefers to remain modest. His main mission seems to be to spread awareness about what he practices, and remove the ignorance that exists about astrology and tantra.

It bothers him that people continue to suffer from various misconceptions about them, and without proper understanding, often give them negative connotations. But even as he battles against the misconceptions about such practices, Bera also insists it is up to the people themselves to make efforts to change and mould their fates. He tries to laugh off the claims by his followers that he has been responsible for the happy twists of fate in their lives.

In fact, in humility he professes that he still has a lot to learn and discover. ?I am still trying to find out to what extent astrology and palmistry are correct. It is just a chance that whatever I predict usually comes true. I am still trying to discover more about it, though I firmly believe that astrology is an important branch of applied-physics, where mathematics plays a crucial role. Through this one can forecast solar and lunar eclipses, cyclones and tsunamis. Unfortunately, after Aryabhatta and Barahmihir, who set new milestones, this branch of science began to be neglected,? he explains.

His followers say it?s his humility that brushes away the praises showered on him.

?My brother had been taken seriously ill. Almost all the eminent doctors had rejected his case. But Bera saheb performed mahamrityunjay yajna for him and he fully recovered after a few weeks,? a grateful resident of Ratu Road says.

That?s not all he has to say. ?My parents were tired of running from here to there in search of a groom for me. After seeing my horoscope Bera saheb advised me to perform certain pujas. My marriage, too, was fixed in less than a month?s time,? he continues, awed and grateful.

But Bera, instead of just resting on such laurels, has his priorities very clear. For him it?s not enough to reach out to a few people with his craft, or helping just those limited numbers who are able to seek him out. His vision is much wider, he says, and to share it with as many people as he can, he extensively travels to remote areas like Simdega, Gumla, Lohardaga and Latehar to remove misnomers that exist against beliefs which can actually be even rationally explained.

?If my forecast helps a frustrated youth unable to find a job or an ailing person to gain the confidence required to fight the odds in life, it is a great achievement for me. The stones and pearls I advise them to use, too, are correct to certain extent. But, if they stop making efforts on their own and depend only on magical powers, even god can not help them,? he says, taking a stand which marks him out from many others of his field, who try to convince people that it?s the stones alone which are doing the wonder.

?I have never said an ailing patient should stop going to a doctor or a job aspirant should give up his studies and only perform the rituals prescribed by me,? he adds.

It?s an interest that developed in him in his early school years, and which continued to grow as he moved on to Ranchi for higher education from Behragora, where he also started to write weekly forecasts and articles in newspapers and magazines. And as more people came to believe in his forecasts, his popularity grew.

Astrology, palmistry and his interest in tantric practices apart, Bera is also a known name in contemporary Bengali literature, with several books to his credit.

His latest compilation of 41 masterpieces penned down by eminent Bengali authors is about to the hit the stands within a week. His erudite articles on different forms of traditional worship, the values and uses of stones and pearls, also give an insight to our indigenous culture, claim his followers.

Bera doesn?t however use his mastery over words to woo people to his beliefs. He says he just gives them the facts as they are, and leaves it to them to choose their path. Just as he has chosen his path and to which he remains firm, in spite of the controversies that have at times been raked up on occasions. Like when the university recommended his name for the Padma Shri but withdrew it when charges of plagiarism followed it.

Bera emerged unscathed from the controversy. About the award, he has no regrets, he says. It?s the future he looks forward too.

Sudhir Kumar Mishra