By M H Ahssan

Save your plans of investing in gold till the last week of January as prices are expected to dip then. Avoid a trip to north India before February 20 as the region is likely to be hit by an earthquake within the first one and half months. Also, stay away from fire as fire accidents might see a spurt in 2009. These words of caution come straight from the mouth of those busy reading the stars, checking the planetary positions and taking stock of 2009 before it starts.

Star gazers in and around Hyderabad, who have been calculating the fate of 2009 now feel that the year is definitely going to be more peaceful than the turbulent 2008, which was bid adieu on a rather sombre note.

People are more likely to bend towards spirituality this year. Even the young and restless, who would otherwise not pay much attention to such practices, will also be drawn towards it. “Bhakti Bhavana is on the cards,’’ says noted astrologer Daivagna Sharma adding that it is the young and especially children who would hold centre stage in 2009. “Children will outshine the rest of the crowd with their extraordinary performance in every field. Their creative talent will be showcased like never before,’’ he says. Women too are predicted to steal the show in 2009. Like Daivagna puts it, “everything they venture into will make them successful’’. Though some cast a doubt on their security in the New Year, most agree that its the year of the fairer sex.

Besides bright kids and ladies, even our politicians would be talked about a lot this year, say astrologers, predicting a major political upheaval.A lot of action in this area would also include regional parties coming to the forefront and hogging tremendous limelight.

“The political turmoil could well lead to an Indo-Pak war,’’ says Kurnool-based astrologer Pelala Prem Kumar who sees a threat call from the neighbours looming large in 2009. M R L Rao of Vishakapatanam, whose readings predict similar situations, however, asks his countrymen not to worry. “Even if we are faced with a war, India will emerge as winner,’’ he says adding that his calculations clearly hint towards some violent outbursts that will primarily target theatres, temples and other places of worship and recreation clubs. His predictions also include epidemic-related deaths by the mid or fag end of the year across cities.

That such tragedies will take a toll on the economic quotient of the country is also a highlight of these readings. Though Daivagna feels that markets will gain some stability in 2009, his fellow star gazers like Chanda Gorakh and Vasudeva Rao do not see any such hope at least till September. “The share market will crash further in the first half of the year with the period from January to March facing maximum crisis. Things might get better later but definitely not before September or October when figures can cross the 10,000 mark,’’ says Vasudeva.

Amid such turmoil, areas like science and technology, music, sports and films are expected to make good business. In fact C Vijaya Raghavacharyulu a vedic scholar and jyotish from Tirupati feels that the country will also prosper in agriculture with the skies indicating good rains this year.