Indians aim to guarantee baby is born on 11/11/11

Expectant mothers are laying siege to India’s top hospitals and gynecologists for a cesarean delivery to guarantee their baby is born on 11/11/11 – the most auspicious day of the century.

Hospitals in New Delhi and the financial capital Mumbai confirmed they have been overwhelmed by demands from middle-class mothers who believe their children’s chances in life will be dramatically improved by being born tomorrow.

The date is regarded as especially auspicious in India where astrology and numerology are key factors in deciding the dates of weddings, the launch of businesses, and increasingly the birth dates for children.

On particularly auspicious days, tens of thousands of weddings bring traffic in the main cities to a standstill for hours as processions of elephants, camels, and white horses block the main roads.

But according to the country’s top hospitals, their surgical theatres have been in as much demand as wedding venues.

“We had many requests from expecting mothers, who wanted to deliver their babies on 11/11/11 as they consider it to be an auspicious day,” said Dr. Madhu Goel, a gynecologist at New Delhi’s Rockland Hospital.

She said the hospital had rejected many of the women on health grounds but confirmed several delivery dates had been brought forward to ensure the auspicious birth date.

“There are cases who were expecting babies this week and now will be purposefully delivering on 11/11/11,” she said.

Architect Swati Sharma said she had chosen the date for a caesarean because she believes it will guarantee good fortune. “11/11/11 is a unique date, which comes once in a millennium. Every parent wants his/her baby to prosper and we believe that date of birth has a role to play in the one’s life,” she said.

The 11.11.11 date is coveted because each of the six ‘1’s represent the Sun, which is worshipped by Hindus as the giver of life. But astrologer Bejan Daruwala said focusing on the one date for all overlooked the importance of an individual’s unique horoscope.

Numerologist Sanjay Jumani warned that while the date is special, women should “leave it to Mother Nature.” “Each planet has its own beauty and charm, lending us both strengths and weaknesses,” he explained.

By Dean Nelson (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/dean-nelson/), New Delhi

Original Source: https://drmadhugoel.needstreet.com/post/the-telegraph/508