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reason. Nearly every part of the palm has been used to provide years. Even so, it became standard practice for leaves that had indigenous peoples with their basic needs, from shade and shelter become too discoloured or had deteriorated to be copied and to thatching and other building materials as well as ropes, replaced, as occurred between the ninth and 13th centuries AD furniture, clothing, nets, cooking oils, foods, medicines, drinks under the kings of Tanjore. They instructed that any leaves found and staple products needed to maintain lives and livelihoods. And fading or beginning to disintegrate were to be completely re- because it was natural, fast-growing and widespread, it was also written and renewed by scholars appointed to do so—a tradition cheap. It was so useful, indeed, that in some cultures the palm that has been maintained by all subsequent dynasties and peoples became a symbol of peace, fertility and victory; and it was interested in the leaves. deemed important enough for mention in both the Old Testament So while you sit there having your Naadi reading, the leaves in and the Koran. the bundles before you need not be as old as you'd like to imagine, So perhaps it's not so strange that the palm became a surface for or indeed be old at all, and certainly not nearly as old as the words writing. Two palm trees were most appropriate: the strong that are etched upon them. For however old the leaf is, that palmyra and the softer, more flexible talipot. As the thicker wording will still be exactly as dictated for that very first leaf, palmyra leaves were prone to insect attack, they were used with every mark and syllable inscribed precisely as spoken by principally for letters and notes, while the less-insect-prone but Lord Shiva. thinner talipot was kept for more important treatises and books, So, this is a very good reason why we wouldn't recommend which is odd when you realise that the fans, mats, basketware, having your "reading" done online or by email. While many wicker trays, umbrellas and other handicrafts websites offer this, in our opinion they which tourists buy are mostly in talipot. cannot offer a valid experience in the same Leaf preparation followed—a process way as visiting the reader in person and varying from area to area but where the width working through the whole extraordinary remained fairly constant (between SO and 90 process leaf by leaf. Do it on the web and, mm), thereby generally determining page sure, in Adelaide or Des Moines you won't size and format, save for larger manuscripts have to leave your living room, but the where leaves were stitched together along "online Naadi reader" wants his money one edge to widen them. They were then . . . upfront and he'll expect you to fill in a treated, rolled and boiled until fully pliant, It is written that In questionnaire—one that gives the details on then washed and dried before "polishing" by i ou and your family, so in due course, on the rubbing with a stone over a particular 2008 there will be pretext that he needs to be sure he's located wood—Alstonia scholaris—until smooth, some kind of the right "you", he'll give you some of those whereupon two holes were punched in each economic collapse back, just to convince you... But don't get leaf and a cord pulled through to tie the growing stack of leaves together, so forming a "bundle" of between 50 and 100 leaves. Each bundle was then finished with thin wooden slats top and bottom as protective covers, and all that then remained was to ensure the pages were all uniform and insect-proofed, done by pressing down hard on them and cutting all around, then singeing the raw edges with a hot instrument before putting the whole stack in a wooden "mould" and sealing it airtight. caught. and political unrest in numerous regions worldwide... True Naadi philosophy remains very much for the real initiates, and there's only a small number who can faithfully read the ancient Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu or other inscriptions with the depth of knowledge, accuracy and integrity required. I know it's expensive, but go there in person and you'll see what we mean. Give absolutely nothing away to the reader before or during the reading (he will not want or expect it) and, like me, you should still end up being told Depending then on the value and everything about yourself in the very significance of the "book" to its owner, greatest detail—even the facts you've the wooden covers could be enhanced or substituted with ivory or long since forgotten. And that's not possible online. ebony or embossed with silver, gold, precious or semiprecious stones, lacquered work or mother of pearl, with any of it worked ANGELA'S STORY to whatever design or pattern the author or client required. Not While Andrew would probably say that his is "still under that any such extravagance applied to Angela's and my "bundles", consideration", my life's journey has been a spiritual one. however, where simple wooden slats sufficed for the covers and I've always seen the world as one big picture, so it was each leaf or ola had been etched by the scribe in Vatta Ezhuthu, inevitable that I would ask the Naadis for a "global" reading on the ancient Tamil script,* with every letter the same size and significant happenings over the next 10 to 11 years (2007-2018). evenly spaced with no gaps or punctuation marks whatsoever, all In this, I'd been inspired by the famous astrologer Dr B. V. done by a sharp stylus called an ezhuthani. (* Not all were in Raman, who in 1950 wrote in The Astrological Magazine of India: Tamil; other languages were used to suit the region: Telugu, Pali, "Kaka Bujander Naadi deals with such topics as astronomy, Singhalese, Sanskrit, and even English during colonial times.) international affairs, spiritual elevation of mankind and so many Bundles were kept flexible and proofed against their enemies— other things in which humanity is interested. One cannot but light, climatic changes, staining, discolouration, insect and fungal admire a system of literature, written thousands of years ago and attack—by regular rubbings with peacock oil, whereby the life of | containing references to current and future international each leaf could be very greatly extended to perhaps 300 to 400 problems." some kind of in numerous regions worldwide... ANGELA'S STORY While Andrew would probably say that his is "still under consideration", my life's journey has been a spiritual one. I've always seen the world as one big picture, so it was inevitable that I would ask the Naadis for a "global" reading on significant happenings over the next 10 to 11 years (2007-2018). In this, I'd been inspired by the famous astrologer Dr B. V. Raman, who in 1950 wrote in The Astrological Magazine of India: "Kaka Bujander Naadi deals with such topics as astronomy, international affairs, spiritual elevation of mankind and so many other things in which humanity is interested. One cannot but admire a system of literature, written thousands of years ago and containing references to current and future international problems." 46 = NEXUS APRIL — MAY 2008 It is written that in 2008 there will be economic collapse and political unrest www.nexusmagazine.com