As they all said, reading about it was one thing but seeing it was another. Like Frater who chased the monsoon across the Indian subcontinent, we were chasing the sun, moon and the eclipse; but unlike him, we didn’t have to rush from the beaches of Trivandrum to Kochi to Goa, Mumbai, Kolkatta and finally to Cherrapunji on the trail of the monsoon.
Sitting comfortably in our living room at Dallas, we could watch, through the eyes of NASA, the total eclipse that was crossing the USA from coast to coast, after 99 years. Unfortunately, it was only partial at Dallas but we were treated to it full, from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina, Tennessee, a whole stretch of 14 states through which it passed through in totality. Despite clouds playing spoilsport at places, it was a marvel to watch the eclipse.
Back in India, at times like this, for instance in 2009, we had witnessed excitement and the build-up given by the media. But nothing matched the mood exhibited here. People gathered in masses, had the special glasses on and off as per the strict instructions and laid down on the grounds to watch the phenomenon. When the moon ‘swallowed’ the sun, the excitement touched the nadir and applause broke out. When it ended, there were interviews with the onlookers and naturally the oft-repeated words were, ‘amazing’, ‘goose bumps’, ‘glowing ring’, ‘corona’ and ‘awesome’.
To top it all, the schools had re-opened just that day after the summer and the kids had real fun. NASA had started the campaign much before the event and went all out to woo the public. Their website advertised various related activities catering to all age groups. When it all ended it was like a thrilling match with the spectators as the winners.
Being Indians, this day had a religious dimension for us. WhatsApp messages from our groups had informed us that there was no solar eclipse back home but it being the New Moon day, some had to perform the amavasya tharpana. Still a friend of mine, on a visit to the US, wanted to know whether we had to do parihara poojas since we are here and the eclipse is also here! However, temples remained closed during the eclipse, following our traditions.
The ‘Great American Eclipse’ of 2017 had lasted for nearly four hours. Hearing all this, an American of Indian Origin friend quipped: “It is nothing. We had a total eclipse last year itself and it will end only after four years!” Well, we were trumped, for sure!