Solar Eclipse: An event of Nature and related Myths

Kausik Ghosh
M.A. (Geography)
Suwa Lal Jangu
Ph.D. (Political Science)
BHU, Varanasi
During 2002-04 as a PG student in BHU I first time came to know about Banaras (Varanasi). I read a book on Aldous Huxley’s story about Benaras during solar eclipse. Although I have heard a lot about Banaras (Kashi) from scholars and pilgrims visited who Kashi for holy dip in Ganga or Vishvanath Temple. It was a moment of great excitement to watch the Solar Eclipse from Varanasi. Huxley had described the events during the Solar Eclipse in Benares in his Diary of a Journey during his visit to India in 1926. It was so difficult not to recollect Huxley’s description of Solar Eclipse of 1926 on 22nd July, 2009!
Huxley had described the events during the Solar Eclipse in Benares in his Diary of a Journey during his visit to India in 1926. It was but a moment of great excitement to watch the Solar Eclipse from Varanasi on 22nd of July 2009. It was so difficult not to recollect Huxley’s description of Solar Eclipse of 1926 on 22nd July, 2009!
On 14th January 1926, the day of the Solar Eclipse Huxley sailed along the Ganges at Benares, not to watch the eclipse but to see the unusual and spectacular Hindu rituals on the occasion. Millions of people of different age groups from different parts of the country came bare foot in an endless and silent procession to the town carrying food, cloth, etc.
After 83 years of Huxley’s description I was lucky to witness the Solar Eclipse from Benares in July 2009. It was really a great scene to see, huge number of children, men, women, old, young…women with their kids on their hips. Some were old enough to walk, and all walked in huge crowd to the ghats. I was told that old people come to Ganga on such occasions to sacrifice their lives in the holy place. I saw an old woman around 80 years suddenly falling into the water while trying to touch the holy water and when we rescued her from the water the old woman was excited and was in an elated stated saying that it was by God’s mercy that she fell into the holy water! I was moved by the strength of faith in her God!
According to the Hindu Mythology, Solar Eclipse is the activity of swallowing of the sun by the serpent and it is considered a bad omen. However, scientifically a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth in such a way that Sun is fully or partially covered. This can only happen during a new moon when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth.
The solar eclipse of 22nd July, 2009 was the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century lasting for the maximum of 6 minutes 39 seconds off the coast of Southeast Asia and India and the next total solar eclipse is on June 2132. It was an amazing feeling and sight to see. Natural light seemed quite different, reflection of light from the water, trees and from various other objects were distinct and peculiar. A natural darkness prevailed in the morning when the sun was covered by the shadow of the moon. It was quite a unique feeling. I can never forget in my life. The sight of emergence of the diamond ring (formation) when the sun came out slowly from the shadow of the moon.
In his essay Huxley describes an interesting event of the Princes taking bath in sitting a palanquin well covered with glittering gold clothes a less crowded ghat. It is a sight of the past. We can only read in the books. Huxley talks about the pilgrims throwing flowers into the water and crematorium grounds along the ghats. It was during the time when India was still under the British Rule and the people were more involved in the freedom struggle than in the issue of pollution. But today, Ganga needs freedom from all such pollution which I myself saw while sailing along the ghats on that day.
Sacred bulls are one of the characteristic features of the Benares. Huxley says one single bull covered an entire lane by its bulky physique. After the eclipse when Huxley went through a narrow lane characterized by beggars on both sides, he noticed a scared bull eating the little quantity of rice accumulated in the bowl of a dozing beggar and went away. Seeing this, Huxley remarked: animals that don’t have intellect or imaginations like men, but act more sensibly than man. They eat, drink, make love or play whenever they feel an urge for it, but men are should intelligent and imaginative ponder over and interpret things oddly and find out dishonest methods to achieve results. Man can think of influencing the outer world by making ritualistic gestures. An animal guided by instinct does something sensible, while man his reason and imagination simply waste his time and energy doing something absolutely foolish. Until man learns by experience that the religious rites will not satisfy his needs, he will behave far sillier than animals.
Actually, Huxley wanted to say that India would be free if the religious enthusiasm of the Hindus and the Muslims are replaced by a real urge for liberty. He thought that it would have been better if instead of assembling on the banks of the Ganges to save the sun, the millions of Hindus should fight for liberation of country from the foreign yoke!
Today India is an independent nation but it is under the rule of poverty, pollution and irrational activities. There was lots of school going children who were acting as beggars and asking alms. There were lots of foreigner who were watching the eclipse and the activities of the pilgrims.Like Huxley a few of them may write about these rituals. I noticed a tall handsome foreigner who carried a dummy dead body on his shoulder and his friend was taking this scene with a video camera. I think, in this occasion they got crowd free of cost for their documentary film. They were happy to watch the solar eclipse event.
Holly dip and solar eclipse are important for foreigners not only for entertainment purpose but also research and study aspect. Because holly Ganga River was witness the totality- Solar eclipse. That day was unique and memorable for me in various aspects. First it was geographical event; second, religious rituals are also performed on that day; third it was a study & research matter for scientists community and fourth it was a natural awakening for everyone.
But people’s perceptions and assumptions about solar eclipse have changed. On the time of eclipse I have noticed that there was a good response from people who were watching this rare event. Our media also is generating awareness among people about this event. Through media and TV channels reporting on eclipse, the consciousness among the people is gradually increasing as school going children come out from there home to see practically the eclipse and they gathered in the ghats. Nowadays parents encourage children who are curious about the natural phenomena.
Sun started blazing down on us and I was last in this huge crowd who was watching the Sun with unprotected eyes. The right way to watch the Eclipse is to see the reflection on a white paper when projected by a telescope. Again it was the matter of thinking when I came to know that one of my friends has gone to Lanka near BHU to buy photo negative for watching the eclipse and he was refused to provide the same. He explained me the reason told me reason. They still believe that the solar eclipse is the result of swallowing of sun by the serpent (Rahu) and old people advise not to watch this scene. Most of the pious Hindus amidst Banarasites were supposed to be in a fast for the day.
I was feeling lucky that I have an opportunity to watch the extraordinary sight. After the eclipse when I turned back I noticed that the crowd was gradually increasing. After that I came to know that these pilgrims are coming only to take holly dip in the river Ganga as they consider that seeing the solar eclipse is a sin. But I was sad to those pilgrims who willingly come to the ghat to take holy dip only after the eclipse. I realized that I was fully engrossed on the phenomena of eclipse. There is no harm if people eat during there is a solar eclipse. It is proved that a solar eclipse is not harmful to pregnant woman. I was one among other who could to know the scientific truth behind a solar eclipse. It is learnt that a solar eclipse cannot be harm any one.
The day was warm. The news came that people were killed in Varanasi because of a stampede on their eclipse pilgrimage; the reason again could have been because of poor organizing set up and crowd management. The day had affected our lives in more than one way. It’s a natural celestial phenomenon to be accepted with awe and admiration. I shuddered to hear that prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays could penetrate and cause harm to the eyes.
One side our astrologers are predicting violence and turmoil across the world as a result of this week’s total solar eclipse.
The superstitious and religious people see a sign of potential doom. Other side our astronomers, scientists and secularists denied such claims of evil portent in connection with solar eclipse natural spectacle. As most of our people is traditional and pious Hindu. They believe on astrology. They go to the traditional pundits. But during the period of the eclipse, people believe that they are under the evil influence. From a spiritual point of view, this is a wonderful time to do any type of worship. “It will bring about good results, much more than on an ordinary day,” astrologers and religious pundits say.
According to Hindu mythology that the two demons Rahu and Ketu are said to “swallow” the Sun during eclipses, no light; food not be consumed, water polluted. Pregnant women are advised to stay indoors to prevent their babies developing birth defects, while prayers, fasting and ritual bathing, particularly in holy rivers, are encouraged. This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society. Couples are willing to do anything to ensure that the baby is not born on that day. Astrologers have predicted a rise in communal and regional violence in the days following the eclipse, particularly in India, China and other Southeast Asian nations where it was seen on 22 July morning. The drought and poor monsoon season throught out India are the cause of solar eclipse.
Our rural India is still living in the dark of unawareness. They believe in myths. These are result of eclipses rather than climate change. It was produced by our non sustained development and no care is taken on environment. Since the time of civilizations, we are witnessed of solar eclipses but also we are victims of climate change. The terrible trends have occurred in our climate due to humanitarian activities not natural events like eclipses. Still we could not have found the side effects of solar eclipse on flora and fauna then how it may be harmful for us. It is not just in India that some are uneasy about what will transpire because of the eclipse. In ancient China they were often associated with disasters. The death of an emperor or other dark events, and similar superstitions persist.
I went through a website# and was surprised to read an article that writes, “The probability for unrest or war to take place in years when a solar eclipse happens is 95 percent.” But no scientist or astronomer came on TV or Radio in publicly before solar eclipse day for dismissing such doomsday predictions. Primarily, what we see with all these soothsayers and astrologers is that they’re looking for opportunities to enhance their business with predictions of danger and calamity. On the day of solar eclipse I saw many astrologers made more money in the name of holy dip, fast etc. practices at bank or ghats of Ganga River. But this type of mythological perspective is still very powerful in India but over the last decade we can see a decline. A new and modern perspective developed by astronomers and scientists educate the mass. Through education and scientific awareness people can understand to such natural phenomena. I think there’s no need to be much alarmed about the eclipse because they are natural phenomenon and will take place usually.