Pandit Roop Chand Joshi

Roop Chand Joshi
Born	18 January 1898
Died	24 December 1982 (aged 83) Chandigarh, Punjab, India
Residence	Nurmahal, Jalandhar district, British Raj
Occupation	Astrologer, Astronomer
Notable work	Lal Kitab

Pandit Roop Chand Joshi (18 January 1898 – 24 December 1982) was an Indian author who is noted for having written currently available versions of Lal Kitab, a collection of books on Vedic science of astrology and palmistry.

He is widely recognized as an authority, master and founder of a new branch of Indian astrology and jyotisha, prescribed in a set of books collectively known as Lal Kitab (lit: The Red Book), which were written by him over a period of years. They are a collection of five books on Vedic science of astrology, Jyotisha, Samudrik shastra, palmistry and Vastu shastra. He is known as noted astrologer, occult writer and master of new branch of astrology.

Biography

Pandit Roop Chand was born in a Hindu Brahmin family to Pandit Jyoti Ram Joshi, a revenue official in Punjab of British India. He was resident of village Pharwala, Nurmahal tehsil in Jalandhar district of Punjab. He authored the presently available version during the years 1939 to 1952 in five volumes, is regarded as the master of this science.

While some regard him also as originator of this books or this branch of vedic astrological science while others believe original writer preferred to remain anonymous and Pandit Roop Chand Joshi wrote his work. The anonymous person by some is considered to be mystic Guru of the author mentioned in his memoirs, who he often described as Divine Being. He himself used to sit in morning at his baithak and predict and provide remedies to people who visited him on basis of Lal Kitab authored by him.

By profession, he worked as an Accounts officer in Defense department of British India and retired in 1954. After partition of India, he shifted to Punjab in India near Chandigarh, where he died in 1982.

He is survived by son, Pandit Som Dutt Joshi, who is also an authority on science of Lal Kitab and author of book, “Rehnuma-e-Lal Kitab”. He currently lives in Canada.

Books written

The books are written in Urdu language. A copy of first book published in 1939 is preserved in Lahore Museum.

1. Lal Kitab Ke Farman (The Edicts of Lal Kitab), 1939, 383 pages
2. Lal Kitab Ke Arman (Ilm Samudrik Kee Lal Kitab Ke Armaan), (The “Aspirations” of Lal Kitab), 1940, 280 pages
3. Gutka (Ilm Samudrik Kee Lal Kitab) (Third Part), 1941, 428 pages
4. Lal Kitab Ke Farman (Lal Kitab – Tarmeem Shuda), 1942, 384 pages
5. Ilm-e Samudrik ki buniyad par ki Lalkitab (Lal Kitab), 1952, 1173 pages

Life sketch

Birth

Roop Chand was born in a Hindu Brahmin family to Pandit Jyoti Ram Joshi, a revenue official in Punjab province of British India. He was resident of village Pharwala, Nurmahal tehsil in Jalandhar district of Punjab.

Profession

By profession, Roop Chand worked as an Accounts officer in Defense department of British India. After partition of India, he shifted to Punjab in India near Chandigarh and retired in 1954 from Defense department of Government of India.

Author & Master

He authored the Lal Kitab during the years 1939 to 1952 in five volumes. He is regarded as the originator of this new branch of vedic astrology, which previously was unknown. He has covered all the branches of Vedic Astrology like Hastarekha, Samudrik Shastra, Kundali, Janam kundali (as per Sun position and also Moon position), vastu and others. The interpretation contained in this book is quite different from classical Indian and the Western palmistry books. Numerous unique concepts specific to Lal Kitab such as “masnoohee” or artificial planets, " baalig " or " nabaalig - the “adult” and “minor” conditions of a planet are introduced. He makes use of verse in his writing. “Because verses are much easier to remember than prose, therefore, he decided to incorporate verses as an aid to memorizing the basics of LalKitab. Many remedial measures using daily household materials were introduced in these books for first time, as a procedure to get relief from effects of bad planetary positions. He also introduced an amazingly simple table for making annual progressed horoscopes.

He authored the presently available version of Lal Kitab during the years 1939 to 1952 in five volumes. He regarded as the master and originator of this branch of Vedic Astrology.The books are written in Urdu language. A copy of first book published in 1939 is preserved in Lahore Museum, Lahore, Pakistan.

Books written:-

1. Lal Kitab Ke Farman (The Edicts of Lal Kitab), 1939, 383 pages
2. Lal Kitab Ke Arman (Ilm Samudrik Kee Lal Kitab Ke Armaan), (The “Aspirations” of Lal Kitab), 1940, 280 pages
3. Gutka (Ilm Samudrik Kee Lal Kitab) (Third Part), 1941, 428 pages
4. Lal Kitab Ke Farman (Lal Kitab – Tarmeem Shuda), 1942, 384 pages
5. Ilm-e Samudrik ki buniyad par ki Lalkitab (Lal Kitab), 1952, 1173 pages

In book of 1941 he hints that some unknown power ("gaibee shakti") guided him to write the whole set of books.

He himself used to sit in morning at his baithak and predict and provide remedies on basis of Lal Kitab authored by him, to people who visited him.

Death

He died in 1982.

Family

He is survived by son, Pandit Som Dutt Joshi, who is also an authority on science of Lal Kitab and author of book, “Rehnuma-e-Lal Kitab”. presently lives in Canada.

Legacy

He has left a legacy from his writings and currently you can find many astrologers, who swear by the concept written by him and follow his writings to predict future and remedies. His birthday is celebrated by many in India.

The original Lal Kitab is now available free. However, new versions available are translation, analysis and interpretation of verses by present writers of the original version. All authors dedicate few lines to Pandit Roop Chand Joshi in their preface.