Angst-ridden and house-bound, Indians are increasingly flocking to online astrology websites or seeking horoscope consultations over the phone. But looking at the cosmos for answers can be expensive — many are shelling out anywhere between Rs 12 and Rs 400 a minute for a glimpse into the future. Astrologers TOI spoke to said that layoffs across industries and financial markets nosediving have left many worried. Most inquiries are career and health related in the wake of Covid-19, but there is also the occasional query from anxious lovers whose plans to get hitched this year have derailed.Chief operating officer (COO) of website Astroyogi, Aditya Kapoor, said the number of calls they receive has jumped from 100 to 250 a day on average since the lockdown “Young people, those in the age group of 22 to 40, make up for a large chunk of the callers. They mostly seek career advice,” said Kapoor, whose website has a network of 400 soothsayers. “An astrologer charges based on his popularity and experience. The minimum rate is Rs 12 per minute while it can go up to Rs 400 a minute for those high in demand.”Prateek Pandey, co-founder of AstroSage, another popular astrology website, said their revenue has increased by 42% during the lockdown. “Our email consultations are more popular. One can ask a single question for Rs 250-Rs 300. A phone consultation costs Rs 400 for a 15 minute session.”Those seeking such services said any positive news in these times could give them hope while some said they wanted to “be prepared for what the future holds”. A 24-year-old boy who got a horoscope reading from an online website told TOI that he felt more confident about things now that his “planets were aligned right”.Astrologers said that among their growing clientele are also NRIs from Dubai, Singapore and Australia, ringing them up to allay their fears. Celebrity astrologer P Khurrana said he was getting 20% more bookings since the lockdown, and many of them were from Indians in other countries. “They want to know when Covid-19 will pass and when things will go back to normal,” he said.In Dehradun, Pandit Ram Lakhan Mishra has also received calls from Indians in Canada and the US. “Some want to know if they will survive the pandemic, others want to know if their jobs are secure. We give them their readings and solutions but also advise them that the best thing to do