The Astrologer at the Village and the Court

Summary

D. C. Sircar traces the social position of astrologers in traditional Indian society from the village level to royal courts. Using epigraphic evidence, literary references and folklore, he outlines how village astrologers, often associated with temple service, advised farmers on auspicious dates for sowing, marriages and rituals. At the other end of the spectrum, court astrologers were consulted by kings on coronations, military campaigns and political decisions; they sometimes received titles and land grants. Sircar describes methods such as horoscope casting, interpretation of planetary conjunctions and reading of omens. He also notes the presence of sceptical traditions—certain Jain and Buddhist sources criticise astrology as superstition—and remarks that state patronage varied depending on the ruler’s personal beliefs. The article charts a continuum from itinerant village pundits to highly‑placed court astrologers and shows how astrology served both everyday and political functions. Sircar situates this within a broader cultural matrix where cosmological beliefs informed social norms and governance.