Almanac reading, a must

Finally have milk, pulse as supplements (4)

Chennai's sure to shelter revolutionary European (7)

Unstable structure where Jack resides? (5,2,5) Delivered wine to the audience (4)

Unfair using force to dismiss one for duck (5)

Every carriage includes, say, hollow seat to relax (4,5)

Take charge of island surrounded by very rebellious Middle Easterners (6)

Bird, not very hungry, nibbling tip of leaf (8)

Article in sorcerer's control (6)

Utensil is shelling peas, not oysters primarily (8)

One carrying ale (6)

Are old dances a challenge? (6)

Animal with one piercing, curved horn (5)

Champion, during breaks, gets hard liquor (7)

Obsessive KrisKross welcomed by sage, treated to get freedom

from pain (9)

Playing back movie's enjoyable missing the end is difficult (2,6) Fox in ground chasing prisoner (8)

Stop consuming drug for support (4)

Leader having selfconfidence to retain record and carry on

(4,5)

Rogue who's approaching park around display area (8)

Oscar in Bhutan runs, following a fast route (8)

Opponents in House often upset (4)

Decoration made from flower seen around estate regularly (7) Couple of leaders in Canada like coarse fabric (6)

Continue without stopping monster (6)

See 19 Across

Solution to previous puzzle

Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku

Our lives are based on time. Even god grants us everything based on that. Life and death are also timebound. For eons, time has been calculated based on the movement of the planets and the stars, including the sun and the moon. These movements are calculated and codified into the annual almanac, the reading of which on the New Year is both mandatory and auspicious, said B. Damodara Dikshithar.

One may wonder if one should trust horoscopes and forecast of the future. Our rishis made a deep study of the movement of the planets, stars and through their expertise, there is a tremendous wealth of knowledge. There are two aspects to forecast: one is astronomy and the other is an individual’s horoscope, based on the exact detailing of a person’s birth and the corresponding planetary and other relevant movements. While astronomical forecast will never go wrong, forecast for an individual could go wrong due to various personal factors and actions or wrongful entry of birth date, time and other factors. As per the almanac, the new year (from April 14, 2024 to April 13, 2025), called Krodhi, is generally expected to be benevolent towards all. One should pray for good beginnings, offer fruits and flowers to God and consume neemjaggery paste, to remind one that life will be bitter sweet.