An SMS from Sharvari flashed across the screen of my mobile phone as I was walking out of my maths tuition-class:
"Look out of your window! A lunar eclipse!"
That was hardly less than enough to send me dashing towards someplace I could have an unperturbed view of the Moon from for I come from a nation and a community which have quite a few intimidating myths associated with eclipses (more of this later).
 |
| From http://tech2.in.com |
As I gazed at the phenomenon of the moon's complete shadow-ingestion if I may say so I couldn't help but wonder how it is a chance of sheer probability that an eclipse occurs. Later, in the train, when an interested co-passenger asked me the technicalities of an eclipse, even as I explained it all to him (which in turn made him ask me if I was a student of the Sciences and to which I replied, to his surprise, in the negative and that I was saying what I remembered from my ninth standard Geography), I pondered over the fact that the Earth forms a near-collinear pattern with the Sun and the Moon every full-Moon day, just that it's a little off the line. It's only on two or three occasions a year that it forms the required 55.5° with the Sun, casting its shadow on the Moon. How is it that so much of nature is planned to such repetitive details, I thought, and still do.
Enough of the Astronomy for now the socio-cultural aspects of an eclipse in India are pretty weird at first sight, and it is quite simple to note that the fear of the eclipse emanates from the legend I'll tell you of. My granny always told me that when Lord Ganesha, the God of the Arts and knowledge fell down while running with his mouth filled with modakas (an Indian sweetmeat) and hands laden with them too, the Moon started laughing at the 'comical' situation (who of us wouldn't have? The Moon couldn't have rushed to save Ganesha even!) and Ganesha took offence. He then put a curse on the Moon that 'snakes will come to bite' the Moon. That's an eclipse for you (well, at least if you're Hindu :P).
It's forbidden to cut vegetables, have food, play (for you might get hurt and the wound shall not heal quickly) or even drink water when the eclipse strikes (not very much unlike the way a clock does :P). And after the eclipse is gone and done with, you must have a bath, can gorge on food, and life comes back to 'normal' that is, if you can ignore the hordes of beggars on the streets demanding their share of alms after the world has been rid of a huge strike of lunar eclipse! :P
I hadn't heard of that Ganpati story! But I imagine there must be hundreds of stories explaining the eclipse. How about we make one ourselves, like, maybe they are playing Holi on the moon, so it's red. lol
ReplyDeleteDude!!The Ganpati story is 4 d changin phases of d moon...Ganpati says dat u r proud of ur light so dats y I take away all ur light & dats hw v hav d New moon day..Aftr much pleadin by d moon Ganesha feels pity & says dat ur light will cum & go littl by littl & dats y it changes shape everyday :-/
ReplyDeleteVery interesting . . . for me it has always just been a day when it is really cool to go out and look at the moon. I love astronomy, though I don't remember my grade 9 science in that detail, I am learning it again in Urdu. :-) I do remember reading something about the blood moon though . . . some kind of bad omen, but I like Priyank's idea. For me the lunar eclipse (mehtaab ka gehan) was just the moon putting on a festive dress so that it too can go out and feel special once in a while. Apparently it likes attention too. It should be a day to celebrate!
ReplyDelete:D Aisha, I think you're right. I got two stories mixed up. It was Rahu and Ketu (as serpents) going after the moon, I think?
ReplyDeletePriyank, I'd like to think of Holi that way too. :P
Chad, you've to tell me about about the blood moon...I don't know what that is. o.O