Thursday, 1st January 2009
I bumped into an Indian astrologer/fortune teller/holy man/yogi/director today. That’s a lot of slashes but that was what I was told from this guy.
I was minding my own business at the hotel lobby this morning when 2 Indian men came and sat at the table next to mine. One of them was a Sikh Indian and the other guy looked pretty young. The young guy introduced himself as Rajah or something, at least that was what I heard. We started with a bit of small talk about where I was from and we talked a bit about our countries and occupations.
Rajah said he was in Singapore some time ago to make a movie. I asked him if he was a movie star but he said he was a movie director instead. He said his Sikh friend helps him out.
The next part gets really interesting…
He started talking about my forehead and he made a good comment about it. He said I would receive good luck this month. He said I think too much lately, which was spot on because I have been thinking a lot during my Bangkok holiday.
I asked Rajah if he was a fortune teller and he said he was an Indian astrologer. I asked if he could tell other people’s fortune and he said yes. He asked if I have had my fortune read and I told him I have been to some Chinese feng shui master in the past.
Rajah the director/astrologer/fortune teller proceeded to scribble something on a tiny piece of paper. He crushed the paper into a tiny ball and told me to hold it in my right hand. He asked me a couple of questions and I remember only 2 of them at the moment. He asked for a number and any flower. I gave him the number 5 and a rose.
He asked me to open the ball of paper in my right hand and the word “Rose” and number 5 was written in it. Impressive! On hindsight, I think he must have switched the paper or something.
According to him, 2 women love me very much – one of them is younger than me and one of them is older than me. My friend told me that could mean my mother and my younger sister. He said I would find love, make more money and be happier this year. Hey! That’s why I am leaving Singapore for Bangkok. I expect to get those things here. Not a huge surprise for me…
I was getting a bit tired of his nonsense and I think he could sense it. He asked for my grandfather’s name. I told him I don’t know my grandfather’s name because I only call him “Ah Gong” in Chinese. I don’t know the names of both my maternal and paternal grandfather names. I did not get to see my maternal grandfather because he passed away before I was born. He told me he could tell me my mother’s name. He told me to give him my full name but I was hesitant. So he asked for my nickname instead.
Rajah then told me he was a holy man and yogi. He asked to see my right thumb and remarked that I have great karma. He told me if I do good things, I can expect good things to happen to me and vice versa. Who doesn’t know that? He said I would live to a ripe old age of 91 and I would die neither of illness or accidents – I would die peacefully and happily with my family around, probably while I was asleep. Sounds good to me!
That last part was the worst. He wrote down 3 numbers – 1000, 2000 and 3000. He said poor people paid him 1000, rich people pay him 3000 and “middle people” pay him 2000. He said I am neither poor or rich so I should pay him 2000. I asked him if it 2000 was in Thai Baht and he said it should be in dollars. He did not specify US dollars or Singapore dollars so I said NO. I told him I was only willing to pay him 200 THB and he said that was not even $10 SGD.
Finally, he told me to put whatever amount I can with a “happy heart” into his tiny little notepad. I gave him 200 Thai Baht. He thanked me, wished me well and left. His Sikh friend who was quiet during our conversation wished me good luck and left together with him.
While he was walking out of the hotel, I saw him approach a Western couple and their baby. I think they were his next targets.
Was Rajah a scam artist or a real psychic? I would like to think he was nothing but a smooth talking charlatan that entertained me for about 15 minues for 200 THB.
Tagged As: Bangkok, Indian Fortune Teller, Thailand
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On 8th January 2009 10:48 AM, Abe
said:
This same guy came to me today and did the same thing. I dont know how he wrote down the number and color i had picked that was in my hand.. He told me everything that I was thinking in my head. That is so wierd> I will see what happens if it comes true. I will know in the next 4 months.. WOW..
On 8th January 2009 4:03 PM, Abe said:
Vincent, this guy came into my store in Los Angeles and its actually the second time this happened to me. The first time was when I was working at a car dealership about 30 miles away from Los Angeles and it was a different guy but with a different approach. He told me how many sisters I had and he knew that my mom had a miscarage and only my family knew that.
This one today was exactly what happened to you but I somehow gave him more than he originally was asking for. It was like he mesmerized me or something. Im a pretty smart guy and am always looking out for people like that but when he tells you everything that is in your head and not one thing is off, you get into this wierd state of mind and its like you cant say no. I dont Know what came over me. He showed me some pictures of indian people and said they would pray for me. I still cant believe how he wrote the number and color and other things i said before I said them..
My partner said some indian guy came in about 2 years ago and did something similar and told him we were going to be very successful and we are now. so the money doesnt really bother me because he blew me away with that stuff. Really scary but I will wait a few months and see if what he said was true.
On 9th January 2009 1:54 AM, Vincent
said:
It is creepy, isn’t it? I am still not convinced because I am trying to make myself believe this is just a scam.
On the other hand, I am still quite amazed at what he did. Maybe, just maybe, all this happened for a reason and he just appeared in my life to nudge me in the right direction.
On 9th January 2009 3:29 AM, Abe said:
Hmmm Interesting. Maybe he hypmotized us into saying those answers somehow. Im gonna check my camera that recorded the whole thing tomorrow when I go back to work and see if I can see anything wierd. Last night I kept waking up all night every 5 minutes and thinking that he was in my bedroom watching me. I kept smelling this particular odor that he had and it was like I could smell it and thats what woke me up. Kinda freeky.
On 19th January 2009 4:32 PM, pukerz
said:
I ran into this guy (or one of these guys) today near Hyde Park in Sydney
There were a few minor differences (the paper was in my left hand, he got me to write down a number/colour/my birthyear/and my “wishes” which he turned into initials)
Very strange.. and I’m very cynical about these sorts of things. Although I have seen Derren Brown perform tricks just as strange, so pretty sure it’s some form of mentalist/cold-reading thing
On 26th January 2009 12:07 AM, Imaginator
said:
I also met an indian in Melbourne, and he just walked up the lane corner, and as he passed me he said ‘very lucky forehead my friend’. Then he said he’s a fortune teller and performed the “age” and “name a flower”trick.
I believe it was genuine, because when he wrote, he hesitated and took some time (as if he had trouble spelling it). Then he folded the paper and put in my hand,. Theh he asked my age and name a flower, i said 32 (he wrote 32 on his pad,) and i think for a while and said “chrysanthemum”, and he took some time and finally spelled ‘Crysentenum’. Then he asked me to open the paper and voila!
Then he proceeded to tell me what my situation was, that i was going around in circle in my career and finance for the past 2 years (correct!). I was frankly amazed at his accuracy. He knew my mental state that only I myself knew (not even my closest friends or family knew, because I never discussed with anyone).
Then he said he reads my aura and knows things about me. I asked him how could he do that. He said “Meditation everyday”".Then I interrogated him! This is the 3rd time i encounter this type of indian man who says lucky forehead and psychic, and i had to know how he did it! He told me he is of Sikh Religion, and he told me about karma, aura, life cycles, living in an illusion world (the indians call it maya – the world of opposites). Having studied this spiritual/religious knowledge in the past, I conversed with him to find out if he was for real a spiritual man. He explained everything to me, and they were accurate to what I learned from the Hindu religion and spiritual beliefs (very close to Buddhism).
Then he told me that by reading my aura, I am one who is always discontent, even when I get very good things. He was right again. He told me I should change and “be content in life. Happiness comes from within.” He also said my luck will change for the better, and he told me about my current job and how i felt about it which were accurate. He also said “actually, to be frank, your job is not all that bad. It is a good company, but the way you think and feel about it is creating unhappiness in you”. (Correct again, and I had already knew my mindset and attitude was the reason all along, even before meeting him. It;s because in my heart i want to be a bg businessman/entreprenuer/investor, thats why my current professional job is such a strain/conflict to me.)
He gave me a bead charm which he blessed, and I gave him $20. He answered his phone, and a lady whom he consulted earlier was calling him asking him to give her gambling and football tips. He told her he cannot use his power for this type of purpose even if she paid him. Then he later said earlier today he asked from this lady $301, and she gave him $100, and she intends to put $200 into gambling. He said he wanted to ask me for $61 before i even gave him $20 voluntarily, he said “I know you gave from your heart and I thank you, but if you could, could you give me $61, like i originally wanted as your fee?” He said he asks for different amount from everyone, depending on his intuition of what the person can afford. I gave him $70, and he spent another 10 minutes advising me, and answering my interrogation of his powers and beliefs.
All in all, I think he spoke the truth, he looked sincere, acted sincere, and in fact gave me lots of advice and 30 minutes of consultation before he even asked for a donation/fee. And after that he was still sincere and spent time with me as I shot him with questions.
On 31st January 2009 11:10 AM, Hd98
said:
Hey, same thing happened to me just yesterday in Melbourne! He did the flower and number trick too. It seems like he had hypnotised me or something because I ended up handing over $250 and I actually felt like I was in a trance during that whole time. He told me he ran a church/temple in India and showed me pictures of children from there. He better be acurate about fortune coming my way in March! =P
On 31st January 2009 9:28 PM, Imaginator said:
Hd98 can you send me an email imaginator8@yahoo.com, i want to talk to u to compare our experience.
On 3rd February 2009 11:43 AM, jex
said:
smae thing happen to me today in Sydney-it also happened to my business partner recently so I was expecting teh paper in hand thing – i watched cartefully for swapping or sleight of hand and was amazed that he was accurate. Bit spooky – told me other things and idd some othert things that freaked me. Scam or not – it was interesting if not unsettling – but in no way threatening – it all happened very fast which is maybe part of the gig-ive always been scared of fortune tellers but this seemed ok.
On 5th February 2009 4:59 PM, Mickie
said:
it happened to my mum in Potts Point in sydney this morning.
She also experienced that paper in hand thing. No. of children she got and color she likes. He got them right.
He asked her to donate $20.
Anyway, althought she doubts it was just a scam she still seem happy as she got entertained 10 mins for $20 and the fact that he told her that she has long life and this year will be a very lucky year for her.
On 6th February 2009 5:03 AM, abe said:
This is the second time it actually happened to me. The first time it was a different guy and he gave me his card to go see him after but I got really scared because he knew stuff that only my mom knew, so i threw his card away. I didnt want to know the future.. This time the guy told me all good things so it was ok. I went to check my cameras that were recording all year long to see if i can see how he did the paper trick and for some reason, they didnt record and were down all day that day… hmmmm
On 6th February 2009 5:10 PM, Name
said:
I ran into a guy next to the hong kong convention center in wan chai, hong kong. I got off the elevator and he was right behind me acting crazy, greeting me like we were friends. He started talking to me and not to be rude I stayed. Well, before I knew it he had his notebook open and was doing a fortune. I thought he must be a scam artist, and going to ask me for some money. But since he hadn’t asked me for any money yet I stayed (stupidly). …
Just like your story.
He told me 2 girls in my life, and I would have good luck blah blah. Same garbage. He told me to pick a number and handed me the number crumpled in my right had. He gave me a “stone” which was an ink covered pit. (well, I didn’t realize it was staining my hand red until afterwards). He told me to unfold the paper, then put the paper back in his notepad and put “paper money” in. I said I only had coins. Then I said I only had foreign currency. He said put my home currency in. I put 1 yuan and 1000 Vietnamese dong. He acted insulted. He kept trying to guilt me into putting “big money”. He had a 100hkd note in his notebook too. What a jerk, His painted pit isn’t worth 1 dong. And I wish I would have kept that note because it was a souvenir. I was in such a good mood before that guy ruined my day. Well, it later occurred to me that he could have gotten my fingerprints as he handed me the inky pit and the paper in the other hand and told me to open it and give him back the paper. I threw the pit away and washed my hands. I should have ignored the guy. He even tried telling me it was for charity or for his master. Ugh.
On 26th February 2009 2:29 PM, Parkingtigers
said:
Bumped into these guys in Hong Kong yesterday, had no less than three of them come up to me and give me their bullshit. It is all cold reading and mental tricks. For those in this comment section that bought into this nonsense, I fully recommend you watch anything on YouTube featuring Derren Brown where he exposes how these work. Start with this:
On 27th February 2009 11:45 AM, HK Skeptic
said:
The IFC 2 mall is swarming with these guys in Hong Kong. I love it as I know make it a fun thing to fuck with them. When they ask me for a flower and a number I say odd things like “The California Tomato PLant” and “2.387″. When they show me what they wrote I always say “That’s not what I said” and when they ask me for a donation for the school or village that they are trying to help I ask if I can travel there and donate my time instead and ask for some contact information. They usually mumble something and walk away and within eyesight are telling the next person “You have a very lucky face”.
On 1st June 2009 10:31 PM, Dhruv
said:
Phew, Glad this happened to others as well. I thought I was doomed after I ran away from this Indian dude who was trying to pull the same gag on me too.
So I walked out of the bank Of America here in Beverly Hills California. I was reading a text message when this Indian dude passes by me and says “You’re a very lucky man” pointing to his forehead and then to mine (as if to say he could tell just by looking at my forehead). I looked at him confused and he said there’s 2 good things about you. 1) You’re hard working. 2) you never cheat anyone. And then he proceeded to saying “You have one bad trait my friend, sorry to say… would you like me to tell you?”
NO thanks I said, I’m working on a deadline, pointed to my watch and walked away. I’ve been extra careful in everything I’ve been doing ever since. This shit’s freaking me out. Now that I know that this has happened to a lot more people I’m kinda relieved. I’m Indian myself and I’m usually wary of these guys cause you see a lot of them back home. But man this guy freaked me out. Whatever.
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