My world shook today, as it did for at least a billion others. Pluto has gone out with a bang. Yesterday was the grand climax of what began in 1993 when the first set of bomb blasts rocked the Mumbai [Bombay] with the first terrorist attacks in the city. I was 16 years old and in college and a few months prior to the bomb blasts, riots broke out in the city — it was my introduction to terror. At the time of the 9/11 attacks I was living here in New York — and having already experienced terror, it was an understanding that death knows no color, nationality or boundaries.

Today, the attacks that took place at CST train station, Cama hospital is where I went to college everyday for five years of my life. Leopold cafe where the shooting began is where I’ve spent countless hours skipping college, drinking beer, listening to the old juke box. I worked across from the Oberoi, and sneaked over to the Oberoi pastry shop every afternoon for the ‘Chocolate Challenge.’ The Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai itself is a landmark, heritage building. It was commissioned in 1903 by Jamshetji Tata after he was refused entry to one of the city’s grand hotels of the time — being restricted to ‘whites only.’ It was opulent, majestic like few other buildings I have seen and reminiscent of India’s rich heritage built to feel like a palace; my favorite building in Mumbai.

Hindsight is 20/20 they say. Surely anyone that follows astrology knows this moment of Pluto moving out of Sagittarius has been a highly anticipated time. Unfortunately we didn’t expect the terrorists to use Pluto’s last gasp to their effect. But without dwelling on the unavoidable horrid truth of the situation, what can we learn from this astrology.

The Western charts for the event involve an extraordinary alignment between the time the shooting began at 9:30 pm local time, India’s independence chart and the progressions to India’s independence chart. Eris on the midheaven is clearly a sign of the discord the terrorists were looking to cause. They are looking to negotiate some ridiculous demands, which the Indian government is [rightly] not going to tolerate. But the with India’s progressed Sun conjunct the IC at 20 Libra — the security of the nation seems to be depending on co-operative efforts. Given the precarious situation a calm, balanced approach seems to be the solution.

This is also the sign of the scales suggesting unequivocally — justice will be served. India’s motto is “Truth alone triumphs,” another very Libran statement. If hindsight is our best teacher, what have we learned from 9/11? War is certainly not the answer.

Personally this has been my Pluto through my 8th house transit and I am glad it’s over. But this is no longer about my reality or yours, this is our collective reality. It can happen any time anywhere. Pluto in Sagittarius has taught us if anything the only answer is seeking a higher wisdom.

It is about 4:30 AM now, I am tired and off to bed but will be back here in the morning with updates on the news and astrology – please check this page and Planet Waves for ongoing coverage.

— Priya Kale, NYC