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It really fascinates me that Pakistan and India were born at the same time.
Why are they so different?
In my opinion, the quick answer is because, as is the case for cartography, in horoscopic astrology ?the map is not the territory?.

The horoscopes for these two countries, even if they are close to identical, refer to symbolic (or some might prefer ?archetypal?) India and Pakistan as abstract entities. What manifests in reality ?grounds? the forms which the astrological indicators take. These manifesting forms are not fixed, but are connected to pre-existing reality and evolve like everything else in life. Astrology can be used to illuminate what manifests, and using astrology?s dynamic tools and techniques, one can follow the process of unfolding or evolution.

The partition of India which led to the creation of Pakistan was presumably determined by political, military and cultural factors which were to the fore as the British Empire entered its final phase of decline. The most obvious difference between the two societies which I am aware of is the religious divide, with Pakistan being predominantly a Muslim population. There may well have been other natural ?tribal? or ethnic dividing lines which contributed to how lines were drawn on maps. This alone is enough to ensure that the two States reflect the same astrology in different ways.

Of course, what were being born at that time were ideas: the peoples had been there for eons, not to mention the accumulated socio-political history of the sub-continent.

This is quite a different situation from the one which holds for natal astrology. In that case, more than a name is being born; a new physical entity is entering the world. A person with no history.

Mundane astrology requires a different approach to the one commonly applied in natal astrology, for which there is usually only one primary horoscope used. Instead, for nations one almost invariably finds oneself looking at a family of temporally related horoscopes. In other words, there is an historical lineage from which one can glean a list of major turning points in socio-political history, each of which can be represented astrologically in horoscopic form. Because they are in a linear historical sequence, each consecutive horoscope is in effect a set of transits to horoscopes earlier in the sequence.

What one often finds is that certain degrees or degree areas are highlighted, in that they keep appearing in charts for major turning points in a State?s history. These common degree positions in effect act as a cementing link between event charts associated with that history. If for example there are say 6 important charts with a planet or angle located at 2 Capricorn, the whole lineage is being shaken during the same period by the current Pluto transit happening in each chart.

I have coined the term ?structural coupling? to describe this phenomenon. It can be very useful when assessing the significance of an outer planet transit to a national chart of some sort. If several national charts are also ?activated? because of the structural coupling, then the transit will carry a lot of weight and significance, or so I?ve noticed. It?s as if the extended history of the State is being highlighted in a way that is particularly illuminated by the symbolism associated with the planet in transit.

Aside from this general point, it is worth noting that astrology is still an alive tradition within the cultures on the sub-continent. With that in mind, one perhaps should give some attention to the horoscopes for the formal emergence of the Indian and Pakistan Republics, which coincided with a shift from dominion status within the British Commonwealth. Other related charts for subsequent political events may be illuminating too.

Instead of the event in 1947, which formally happened at midnight presumably based on a decision made by the British Administration, India became a Republic on January 26th 1950 at 10:15am (Delhi), according to Nick Campion?s Book of World Horoscopes.

Pakistan became the first Islamic Republic in the world on March 23 1956 at 7:05am (Karachi, same source). March 23rd is celebrated each year as Pakistan Day, and also commemorates the passing of the Lahore resolution (conference held March 22-24, Lahore 1940) which first formally proposed an independent state within the sub-continent for India (Wikipedia). The current constitution is based on the one passed on April 12 1973, and which commenced August 14th 1973 (?Pursuant to Art. 265 the Constitution came into force on August 14, 1973, referred to in the said Article as the 'Commencing day'. http://www.pakistanconstitution-law.com ... istory.asp). The publishing of the enforcement of Shariah law act occurred on June18th 1991.

Here is the chart for the Republic of India:
Image
It?s interesting to note the Venus-Jupiter conjunction trine Mars (Ascendant ruler) in Libra in the 7th in this chart, along with the exact square between the exalted Moon in Taurus and Aquarian Sun. I don?t do Jyotish, so can?t tell if this hints at the work of astrologers. Currently, Pluto lies on the MC by transit.

Here is the chart for the Pakistan Republic
Image
This chart shows the Moon in Leo exactly square Venus in Taurus to the minute, and conjunct Jupiter; Venus trine an elevated Mars in Capricorn conjunct MC; and Sun in Aries in the 12th (Aries Ascendant) trine Saturn in Sagittarius in the 8th (!). Currently, Pluto is square the Aries Sun in this chart.

The relevance of this horoscope for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is made clear when one considers the independence of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan. The declaration of independence was broadcast on the 26th or 27th of March 1971 after Pakistan troops initiated a very brutal campaign against the Bengali population on March 25th.
http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/histor ... ation.html

March 26th is considered Independence Day in Bangladesh. On that day Mars (8-9 Capricorn) was angular on the MC (8Cp07) in the Pakistan Republic chart, while Uranus (11Li48) was on the Descendant (12Li00). It?s hard to argue with that as a couple of transits coinciding with the beginning of a bloody war of independence in Pakistan.

Whatever, there are two very different vibes on view here, and two charts which represent the current political States of India and Pakistan.

If you look at the India Republic horoscopes in relation to Indian independence, you?ll note the Republic Venus-Jupiter conjunction is on the Independence MC, and directly opposite the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Leo for the Republic chart. What that means, to give you an idea of the way structural coupling can be used, is that every time there is a transit to the India Independence MC or Saturn-Pluto conjunction, there will also be a transit to the India Republic?s Venus-Jupiter conjunction. An interesting combination. In order to interpret their significance, one has to first reflect on what aspects of India each chart illuminates. This may be made a bit simpler if one looked back to before and since 1947 for other important events and considered them astrologically. Certain horoscopes in the family will seem more ?alive? than others.

Similarly, if one looks at the Pakistan Republic chart in relation to its Independence chart, you?ll note Venus for the former is exactly conjunct the Ascendant of the latter at 15 Taurus. The Moon-Jupiter conjunction of the former is conjunct the Sun-Venus conjunction of the latter. And so on.

Obviously there were socio-political entities in existence in the region earlier than 1947, and stretching back millennia in fact. No nation is disconnected from its history, either in reality or astrologically.

Bill

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Instead of the event in 1947, which formally happened at midnight presumably based on a decision made by the British Administration, India became a Republic on January 26th 1950 at 10:15am (Delhi), according to Nick Campion?s Book of World Horoscopes.
Hi I wonder if that chart should perhaps be rectified back into Pisces rising? Jupiter as ruling planet in its conjunciton with Venus makes total sense for India as opposed to Mars??

mike c

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Yes Mike, that would seem to 'fit' better, in terms of how one stereotypically might imagine India to be from 'first impressions' (ASC). I don't have Campion's book handy so can't check his sources or rationale.

In searching the Net, the only time I could come across (from only one site) was 11am, from the memory of a journalist who was there. This was apparently the time when the last Governor General entered the chamber to read out the proclamation of the Republic before immediately swapping chairs with the new President, who was presumably then inaugurated.

I also discovered that January 26th was chosen specifically because it was the date in 1930 when a declaration was made by the Indian National Congress to push for complete independence from Britain. Not for any astrological reason.

The key event which that paved the way for the birth of the Republic was the ratification of the proposed new Constitution. This happened in November 1949, and could have been enacted at any time after that. They decided to wait till Jan 26th, which had been called 'Independence Day' since 1930, and celebrated as such each year since. Now it's called Republic Day, to distinguish it from August 15th 1947.

Bill