There were back-to-back solar and lunar eclipses within the last fortnight.
While the celestial events offered a rare opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts to get hooked on the skies, it was a 21st-century battle for some others. The differences between the rationalists and traditionalists over keeping fast during the eclipse period took an ugly turn much before the lunar eclipse earlier this week.
By the time the moon appeared blood red, both the groups pitched a bloody clash at Lohia Academy injuring a few people, who had gathered there to have ‘free chicken biryani’.
There is nothing new in the eclipses and Odisha is not the only state where rationalists and traditionalists differ. But it was surely a provocation by the rationalists, who openly slandered traditional beliefs by making a purposeful display of eating chicken biryani.
If this was not enough, they insulted the Brahmins, Hindu deities and tradition, attracting a series of complaints lodged against them in several police stations across the state. Its consequence may be very little owing to the forgiving nature of ritualists, but the chicken biryani feast cost some dearly who are still wondering why they could not control their greed for free food.