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ShareEven as Indian scientists observed the longest solar eclipse of the century from an Indian Air Force plane, thousands of pilgrims gathered on the banks of the river Ganges at Varanasi to experience the eclipse as a religious and spiritual event.
Some parts of Southeast Asia witnessed the occurrence of the 21st century's longest total solar eclipse. Solar eclipses are not rare, but in spite of this very few get a chance to witness a total solar eclipse in their lifetime. A total solar eclipse usually happens every 18 months or so, but this year's total eclipse was spectacle and special because of the extended length - it lasted for 6 minutes and 39 seconds. This duration will not be matched until the year 2132.
The celestial diamond ring that the solar eclipse formed in the sky was experienced in India, where it triggered scenes of religious fervour, fear and excitement. Some people expected that there would be a relationship, either positive or negative, between their health and the occurrence of the eclipse.
The swiftness with which darkness descends upon a perfectly clear bright day and the deafening and eerie silence that it brings with it are perhaps enough to frighten even the bravest. Many people are still mortally scared of eclipses and believe that they are ill omens and bring bad luck.
Deep-rooted religious and astrological beliefs say that one must pray and chant mantras during the eclipse and have a bath to wash away its ill-effects. Tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered on the rivers of the Ganges in Varanasi. Amid chanting of Hindu mantras, men, women and children took a dip in the Ganges. It is also believed to lead to salvation from the cycle of life and death.
Ironically, this huge gathering triggered panic and caused suffocation and stampedes, along with a few deaths.
Solar eclipses are perfectly logical scientific phenomena. Eclipses do not occur randomly; there is certain regularity in their occurrence.
Two different cycles of the moon determine the pattern of eclipses over time.
The most famous historical solar eclipse occurred on May 28 in 585 BC.
Two middle-eastern countries -- Lydia and Persia -- had been at war for five years. As the two armies approached to start the battle that day, the eclipse began. The darkening of the sky frightened the armies. A peace treaty was agreed to and a double marriage took place to cement the event.
Total eclipses are known to have occurred even before scientists popularised the phenomena. A major solar eclipse occurred over Europe on May 14, 1230. According to medieval history, the workers in the field were confused when the sun went dark in the morning. They went back home to sleep but soon had to wake up and return to work.
This solar eclipse will now go down in history as a day when ancient superstitions and scientific curiosity came together in one of the most popular eclipses in today's times, as the passage of the eclipse was across India, Bhutan, Myanmar and China - the planet's most densely populated countries.
The writer isan entrepreneur and educationist
