Varanasi: The Banaras Hindu University has given its astrology outpatient department a hospital-like makeover, dividing consultations into eight specialised areas ranging from birth charts and auspicious dates to marriage matching, vastu, gemstones and rituals.
The new system at the Department of Jyotisha in the Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vijnan is aimed at directing people to specialised consultations based on the nature of their requirements. The university has also fixed separate charges for different services, with 50 per cent of the fee going to the astrologer as dakshina.
Separate charges for services
The cheapest service is fixing auspicious dates for weddings, housewarming and other ceremonies, for which the university charges Rs 100. Consultation on gemstones and rituals costs Rs 250 each, while birth, annual and question horoscopes are also charged at Rs 250.
For vastu-related consultations, soil modification advice costs Rs 500, while map modification is priced at Rs 1,000. However, the department's fee schedule mentions Rs 100 for map modification, creating a discrepancy that the university may need to clarify.
The university has also fixed charges for taking a professor-astrologer outside the district. A consultation within the district costs Rs 11,000, while taking the astrologer outside the district costs Rs 21,000. Vehicle expenses will have to be paid separately. The prescribed amount includes 50 per cent as dakshina for the astrologer.
Dedicated office for astrology OPD
The initiative is being operated from a dedicated air-conditioned office at the Panchang Unit of the Department of Jyotisha. The OPD functions six days a week from 4 pm to 5 pm after regular classes. The centre is currently receiving around 10 visitors a day.
Earlier, BHU offered mainly horoscope preparation and consultation, for which the fee was Rs 100. The astrology consultation centre has been functioning for several years, with Prof Vinay Pandey serving as its coordinator for the past four years.
According to department head Prof Shatrughna Tripathi, the specialised system is intended to ensure that people receive advice specific to the issue for which they approach the centre.
"People coming with a particular problem will be given consultation specifically related to that issue," Tripathi said. The centre also provides suggested remedies, advice and a detailed report to those seeking consultation.
A follow-up consultation will normally require another fee. However, no additional fee will be charged if a person returns within a month, according to the department.
Six-day consultation schedule
The department has issued a six-day schedule involving seven professors and faculty members. Prof Girijashankar will provide consultations on Monday, while Prof Vinay Kumar Pandey and Dr Rameshwar Sharma will be available on Tuesday. Prof Ramjiwan Mishra will conduct consultations on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Prof Shatrughna Tripathi and Dr Rameshwar Sharma will provide consultations, followed by Prof Subhash Pandey on Friday. Dr Sushil Kumar Gupta will be available on Saturday.
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The centre is currently limiting consultations to around 10 to 15 people a day. The university says the specialised arrangement will allow visitors to seek focused advice instead of approaching the department only for general horoscope-related services.
Fees shared with astrologers
The fee structure has also created a formal mechanism for sharing the proceeds between the astrologers and the department. For example, of the Rs 100 charged for fixing an auspicious date, Rs 50 will be credited as dakshina to the professor providing the consultation, while the remaining amount will go towards departmental and other expenses.
