Patna: A total lunar eclipse is set to occur on Sunday, September 7, coinciding with the festival of Bhadra Purnima. The event will begin at 9.58pm and end at 1.26am the following morning, giving skywatchers several hours to observe the rare sight. For many, the eclipse is not just an astronomical happening but also a time deeply connected with traditions and rituals.
Explaining the science behind it, Acharya Pandit Dharmendranath Mishra said that the eclipse takes place when the Earth comes directly between the sun and the moon. He described how the Earth casts a cone-shaped shadow that stretches into space. As the moon passes through this shadow, its surface appears to darken, first partially and then fully, depending on the alignment. This, he explained, is why sometimes we see a partial eclipse and other times a total one.
Mishra also pointed out that eclipses do not happen on every full moon. The Earth’s and the moon’s orbits are slightly tilted, at about a five-degree angle. Only when they line up perfectly during a full moon does the shadow of the Earth fall on the moon, creating an eclipse. Ancient Indian scriptures, however, describe the phenomenon differently, saying that the demon Rahu is responsible for “swallowing” the moon, which is why such eclipses are also called Rahukrit Grahan.
Traditional beliefs also highlight what people should and should not do during the period of an eclipse. Eating food, sleeping, wandering in fields, cutting plants or touching idols of deities are considered inauspicious. Instead, taking a ritual bath, offering donations, chanting prayers, performing homa (fire rituals), and remembering ancestors through Shraddha are believed to bring spiritual benefits. Many people will follow these customs during Sunday’s eclipse, combining faith with fascination as they look up to the night sky.
