Eclipse mania

Today was total solar eclipse and we all know it’s a general occurrence by nature, even yearly we have eclipse this time it was a rare event that last the longest of 21st century. This doesn’t make me awe and as usual we expected the sight was blocked by clouds, and what really made it special was the total eclipse almost across India. But what I like to say about was belief. In whatever manner the scientific knowledge and understanding grows, but still people believe that moon hide the sun on eclipse and reflect its shadow on earth is devil caught up with evil. Eclipse might be believed or described as bad omen in earlier times when science wasn’t understood, but even after many years of man landed on moon and well aware about universe, few people still believe in things that has no meaning and existence.

I just wonder in disbelief at one of my cousin’s act upon eclipse and what she did in name of belief. She ate a day before eclipse, by 6pm in evening and went on fast till midday. I have heard people saying in past that eating anything at the period of eclipse won’t digest, but what she did is simply foolish and being educated. I know education and belief are something distinct and I like to see sense and knowledge on both. Then, there go the astrologists making certain promise that something gonna happen to earth on the time of eclipse occur and possibility of earthquake or tsunami. But I’m not sure those astrologists truly know what tsunami means before the December 26th incident? We know the earth stability is because of some gravity force from sun and when moon come across, a question could rise on the changes of substance, but obviously there haven’t been any incident happen so far on eclipses.

There’re times people have been saying and following the tradition of taking bath after eclipse are over. As a child I have also conveyed the same by my parents and those days we never ask why and just follow what parents say. I have heard mom saying that people also wash there homes and drop whatever is left to feed and cook newly dish after eclipse, and we were never allowed to go out in times of eclipse. I feel it’s simply offensive to follow these and I see in disbelief people used to practice it deliberately. Don’t we realize to change ourselves with what we got in knowledge? And if we don’t want to turn the illusion, then why do we need to learn new things to develop our sense and knowledge? And the important thing of learning is to drive folly.

#(pic courtesy: Google images, a total solar eclipse seen from Varanasi in india, july 22, 2009.)