Hyderabad: As though to amplify its numerological significance, the unusually spelt name stares out at visitors in large-type font from the nameplate — Jayahshankkarr Sisttllah. The personality of the numerologist-astrologer is no less striking, thanks to his long beard, deep, strong eyes and a soft, assured voice complemented by dramatic modulations, sandalwood paste on his high forehead and a strong nose. When he speaks, he dexterously mixes logic with belief, and technology with ancient tradition, as he presents his case for the influence of numbers on our lives.
“Andhra Pradesh, spelt so, has 13 alphabets, and that is an unquestionable curse. It signifies natural disasters, man-made accidents, misunderstandings, separation, unnatural deaths, and denial of potential. It makes enemies. Since its formation, the state has suffered instability and lack of regional cohesion. The capital was changed. From the Telangana agitation in 1969 to the Jai Andhra struggle, to talk of Rayala-Telangana before the bifurcation, these are inevitable impacts of negative numerology. The total numerical sum, 63, is a disaster. The individual totals of the two words, Andhra and Pradesh, 16 and 18 respectively, mean instability. Bifurcation was inevitable,” Jayahshankkaar says, after a detailed analysis of the spelling of the state’s name and its formation date.
Adding details, such as the number of districts, he lists “unnatural” and “improbable” mishaps - from the shame that past chief ministers have faced “for no fault of theirs”, including the shaming of Tanguturi Anjaiah to the ousting of a popular leader like N.T. Rama Rao twice, the three-CM tenure of the Congress between 1989 and 1994, the near fatal attack on N. Chandrababu Naidu, to the accidental death of Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy after winning a second mandate.
In contrast, says Jayahshankkaar, is the numerological composition of Telangana, which has near omnipotent perfection and contains super powers. “Telangana is a super-potent name, blessed and protected in its numerical composition. It has powerful positive numbers, 30 and 28, with an amazing combination of nine alphabets. The base number, 30, is referred to as ‘nithya kalyanam patcha thoranam’, implying and guaranteeing unlimited prosperity, while the root number, 28, gives it unconditional leadership. Small wonder that Telangana and KCR (Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao) have enjoyed glory all along this term, and greater success is assured in times ahead.”
These numbers, according to Jayahshankkarr, will help Telangana unleash its glory, while rivals will be brushed aside. As a numerological consultant based in Hyderabad, he has advised thousands of people over the last decade, conducted various television programmes and boasts many clients from politics, cinema and business, having begun researching numerology over 17 years ago after a successful stint in Tollywood as associate producer and occasional guest actor.
“When Dr Reddy’s helicopter crashed, the global media echoed the name with the wrong aura —Andhra Pradesh — leading to the unleashing of the power of Telangana. Consider the stakes Sonia Gandhi had in Andhra Pradesh, which gave Parliament 33 out of 44 MPs and brought the UPA to power twice. Neither she, nor Narendra Modi, has any inherent political reason to push the people of Andhra to protest mode. It is just the numbers playing havoc,” Jayahshankkarr explains.
After bifurcation, the negativity of the name has intensified as the impact once shared by over nine crore people in 23 districts is now focused on five crore people in 13 districts, he adds. While the names of N. Chandrababu Naidu and Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy too are weak, K. Chandrasekhara Rao has matching numerological armour and compliments the aura of the name Telangana. The new Andhra Pradesh received less support from the Centre despite being a partner, while Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), without being an ally, marched rapidly on the path of development.
The accident during Godavari Pushkarams, Cyclone Hudhud, floods in an arid zone like Kurnool, Amalapuram gas blowout, deaths of political leaders in accidents, untimely rains and the separation of Telugu Desam (TD) from the NDA, the perpetual opposition by YSRC, the confusion caused by the political actions of Pawan Kalyan, the inability of Naidu to pull off a Hyderabad in Amaravati, the obstacles to Polavaram, the refusal for Special Category Status or railway zone in Vizag by the Centre, are all owing to numerological obstacles, which will not change drastically even after 2019, Jayahshankkarr says.
“Andhra is the wrong spelling because we stress ‘AA’ as the first syllable when we speak. The calling name is a powerful aspect of nomenclature and a spelling that doesn’t match it is doomed. The ideal spelling should be ‘Aandhra’, which is how it is written and spoken in Telugu,” he says. “Aandhra Pradesh will have a number-power that will protect the state from negativity, and, if the CM does it tomorrow through a GO, bring positive energy into the lives and destiny of its people.”
Is there any science to such arguments, one is compelled to ask. “People have tried astrology, gemology, vaasthu. Give my name a chance for 12 months and see. What have you got to lose? Numbers are real forces of nature, and everything we measure, count, and track is through numerical logic. Your name has a number and if it is negative, it can drag you down,” he answers.
On the advisability of changing a name altogether, he says, “Several city names were changed — Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Rajamah-endravaram. In some cases, like Kadapa, the spelling was corrected from the anglicised Cudappah. If it helps over five crore people, what is wrong with Aandhra?”
Perhaps, when all political explanations fail and all analysis mean nothing, we can reflect on Shakespeare’s question about what is in a name, and conclude that there is a lot in a name, and its spelling, after all.
