TIRUPUR: While many were busy watching the rare eclipse unfold, clips of pestles (traditional pounding sticks called ‘ulakkai’ in Tamil and used to dehull rice) standing unsupported for a few minutes purportedly due to the eclipse, went viral in Tirupur district.
A lot of residents from Dharapuram and Udumalaipet shared videos of pounders standing still on a plate filled with water. Speaking to TNIE, Raju a resident of Udumalaipet said, “After receiving a lot of videos, I took a plate filled with water and made a pounder stand on it.
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Surprisingly the pounder stood still for few minutes”. But, Dr TR Govindasamy, Professor Emeritus at The Institute of Mathematical Sciences said, “It is irrational. A pounder with a flat base can stand on smooth surface for several minutes. This has nothing to do with the eclipse.”