On 22nd July morning (2009); starting from 6:24 AM there was a
total eclipse of the Sun along a corridor of India. Starting from Surat, the
solar eclipse could be seen in and around Vadodara, Bhopal, Varanasi, Patna,
Darjeeling and Dibrugarh. Along this corridor, a bright morning turned into the
night for almost four minutes. For the rest of India the eclipse appeared as;
close to a total and partial eclipse. However, it was not visible in Hyderabad
and many more places due to dark rain-carrying clouds. This long-duration total
eclipse was of great scientific and historic importance because the next one is
going to occur only after 123 years!
There are many common traditions and superstitions followed by
millions of Indians during and after an eclipse. We are not supposed to eat
during the duration of an eclipse, and food prepared before an eclipse should
be discarded. In case of food with long-lasting shelflife and those that have
to be compulsorily preserved, the food should be covered with a lid, and fine
short grass called ‘Garkha’ in Telugu should be placed on it during the duration
of the eclipse. And during the eclipse, women in the family way (pregnant) are
not to move around, they are to stay indoors and lie down and remain still. They
should not hold sharp items like scissors, knives, needles, keys etc., because
of the fear of children being born with cleft lips and deformities. After the
eclipse; the flooring in the house is washed, everyone takes a bath, the Pooja
room is cleaned, and all the photos and idols of Gods are washed, decorated and
lamps lit before the images of Gods. Lakhs of people who may find it convenient
go and take a dip in holy rivers to cleanse themselves from the ill effects of
the eclipse. Only after bathing and pooja, fresh food is prepared for the day.
All the temples in the area of the eclipse are closed. After the
eclipse, the temple premises are cleaned and special poojas are performed for
the well-being of everyone. In case the eclipse coincides with the school and
office commencement timings, the reporting time is rescheduled to suit the
fulfilment of eclipse-related traditions and superstitions.
Interestingly, most elders in our family believe that a Lunar
eclipse left a physical mark on me. I was born by Caesarean operation and there
was a pink Crescent mark on my forehead. When my maternal grandmother saw this
she began to weep and quarrel with the doctors and staff stating that they have
injured the baby. The doctors convinced her and everyone that it has nothing to
do with the operation. They said that it is neither a bleeding cut nor a
superficial scar but a fine soft Crescent-shape growth and it is a sort of
birthmark. Then my grandmother started blaming my mother for this mark. I was
born on November 16th and three months before my birth in August, there was a
Lunar eclipse when my mother was asked to lie still as per the superstitions
explained above. Even as my grandmother was protesting my brother who is elder
than me by 4 years went to my mother crying and asked her to make a Train using
empty matchboxes like the one in the above picture. My mother made a Train by
arranging the matchboxes on her stomach. So my grandmother believed that this
mark on my forehead is because of my mother’s Train making activity during the
eclipse. My grandmother believed in this theory and told everyone in the family
and outside about it for decades. So everyone in the family thought so! This is
a prominent Crescent mark, 60mm long and similar to a two-day-old waxing moon!
It was much more prominent during my younger days. It is my birthmark in all
known records.
Hope this blog post doesn't catch the attention of Indian TV channels or non-believers of these eclipse-related traditions and superstitions, there would be infinite debates, condemnations and assents!
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