The American Heritage Dictionary defines Palmistry as the practice of telling fortunes from the lines, marks, and patterns on the palms of the hands. Palmistry is also called as chiromancy, palm-reading, chirology, or hand-analysis. Palmistry originated in ancient India. It was said to be practiced by the Brahmins of Ancient India. Palmistry can be regarded as a part of Astrology. Records of practice of Palmistry are also available in countries such as China, Tibet, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Ancient Greece.

In this age of cutthroat competition, the people seem to have become more and more dependant on things beyond their normal powers. Palmistry is gaining popularity even among the western public as well. This is because human beings have become more concerned about their future than ever before. Palmistry is quite popular in India. It is a part of the everyday life for many Indians. Life is unimaginable for them without Palmistry. They will consult the Palmist for almost every activity of their lives. For special occasions like marriage, setting up of a new business, birth of a child, starting a new profession etc, a visit to a Palmist has become a must. A palmist will examine the hand carefully and advice the clients about their next activity. The palmists say that there is a relation between the lines in ones palm, the planetary motions, and ones life.

Generally, in cases of palmistry, the questions asked are based on the following features:

1.Shape of Hand
2.Shape of Fingers
3.Shape of Nails
4.Life Line
5.Head Line
6.Heart Line
7.Fate Line
8.Fame Line.

These features represent the following:

Shape of Hand – Significance:
The shape of the hand and the fingers relates to hereditary influence of character and the disposition. There are certain types of hands which are also suited for one work more than any other.

Shape of Finger – Significance:
Your talents and qualities are well understood from the finger shapes.

Shape of Nails – Significance:
Want to know more about your general disposition and other hereditary traits, look out for your nail shapes.

Life Line
Vigor and length of your life are represented by your Life Line. It predicts your illness, death and many other important features that may affect you in your life.
Location:
The Life Line starts from the side of palm between the thumb and the index finger and extends across the middle of the palm towards the base of the hand.

Head Line
The mentality of a person is generally indicated by the Head Line. The intellectual strength or weakness related to talent is signified by this line.
Location:
The Head Line rises from just above the Life Line and extends across the hand.

Heart Line
Love and attraction of the sexes are indicated by your Heart Line. It reflects your humane and loving nature.
Location:
The Heart Line rises from the upper portion of the hand, just below the mounts of Jupiter, Saturn, the Sun and Mercury (from base of index finger to base of little finger).

Fate Line
The Line of Fate or Destiny is the center upright line on the palm of the hand. All worldly affairs, result of your career, people who influence you, and ultimately the successes or failures is indicated by this line. It is prominently marked on conic and psychic hands, as they are firm believers in fate.
Location:
The Fate Line starts in the middle of the palm and continues towards the base of the middle finger.

Fame Line
Also known as the line of Apollo, the line of brilliancy or the line of success is the Fame Line. It is heavily marked on conic, spatulate and philosophic hands.
Location:
Running parallel to the Line of Fate is the Fame Line which starts from the base of hand and runs towards ring finger. Success is enhanced by this line as indicated by the line of Fate and also gives fame and distinction to our lives. Appreciation of art is also the indication of this line.

The palmist’s use of his or her intuition becomes more and more easy as he or she becomes more experienced. In time, the palmist is able, almost without conscious thought, to decide which indicators must be taken with great seriousness and which can be virtually disregarded.