BENGALURU: Wednesday’s Lunar eclipse, and superstitions and beliefs associated with it, kept several people within their homes or leaving work early for home in Bengaluru and several other parts of the state.
The effects of the eclipse were noticeable in Bengaluru with traffic jams around 4.30 pm-5.30 pm due to the homebound rush and even Metro ridership going up sharply for an hour, and then dipping when the eclipse was in full effect.
For those believers who couldn’t make it back home from work places or wherever outside, it meant foregoing their evening snack or dinner. The belief is that food cooked during an eclipse or before it cannot be consumed as it is bad for mind and body.
However, in a break from tradition, a group of rationalists, under the aegis of Bengaluru People’s Solidarity Concern, gathered on the steps of Town Hall during the eclipse and consumed food and encouraged others to do the same, to dispel myths about eclipses and their effects on human beings.
Several astronomy and space enthusiasts were baffled by the people’s behaviour during the lunar eclipse, which otherwise is more noticeable during a solar eclipse. “People behaved as if it was a solar eclipse -- not willing to watch the moon during the eclipse and staying indoors, and choosing not to consume anything, fearing its ill-effects,” said Shankar M Rao, a bank employee who is passionate about astronomy and celestial events.
Amateur astronomers felt it was the triple effect of Super Moon, Blood Moon and Blue Moon that probably impacted the believers more.The eclipse, which lasted between 5.18 pm and 8.42 pm, was watched by lakhs of people around the city in awe. Yet, for many others, it was a day of prayers, purification and dominated by superstitions. Several women rushing home early from offices were seen carrying ‘darbe’ (a special type of grass used in Hindu rituals for purification) to ward off the “evil effects” of the eclipse.
Some beliefs associated with a lunar eclipse are simple. There is no eating food or cooking during the eclipse. Those whose sun signs are affected by the lunar eclipse, must remain indoors and should not look at the eclipse. For others, it means throwing out any food that was cooked before the eclipse. “It is said that the food gets spoilt during an eclipse and is not fit for eating afterwards. We made sure we did not cook dinner early on Wednesday and will cook only once the eclipse is over,” said Dhanalakshmi, a resident of Ulsoor.
For the devout, the eclipse was a sign to conduct pujas.Many others chose to stay away from their favourite restaurants or pubs as they did not want to be served food cooked before the eclipse commenced.