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| Myths about lunar eclipse |
Today is the day of Lunar Eclipse. Lunar Eclipse is a scientific event, as I would call it, which occurs when the Moon passes directly behind the Earth into its umbra (shadow). This happens only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned in a straight line with the Earth in the middle. Most importantly, Lunar Eclipse can only occur during the night of a full moon.
On this auspicious (scientific)
day, we happen to encounter some myths. I would like to shed light on these
myths. And the myths that I am going to point here are completely based on
Indian context. Alright, here we go...
1. Refrain from eating
We are not allowed to eat during
lunar eclipse. Some people don't even drink water, which is way too much. They
claim it has some religious value in it, which I don't understand. Refraining
from eating during solar eclipse has some proved scientific explanation but during
lunar eclipse? If at all there is any scientific explanation for this, do share
it in the comments field, I will be happy to learn. I believe it is just a myth
followed here in our nation.
2. Take bath once the eclipse is over
It would have been created for the
people who don't really have a habit of bathing, I reckon. Or else, the lunar
eclipse itself would have occurred early in the morning when the people
recognised it for the first time. Either ways it sounds funny right. I don't
know how many more such reasons or explanations are stated over this point.
3. Women please beware of Lunar Eclipse
Pregnant women are not allowed to
touch sharp objects during lunar eclipse as it may slit open her unborn child's
lip. And that is not all, they are not allowed to go out or do any sort of
household work during eclipse or her baby will be born with deformity.
Women are not allowed to wear dress
of their wish. Women are not allowed to walk alone in road during night hours.
Women are not allowed to choose a guy of her own. Actually what women of India are entitled to
do? You know something, according to
WHO, Indian women is extremely depressed when compared to their male
counterparts. Don't you think something has to be done to address this issue?
4. Pray to God before and after the lunar eclipse
When you didn't do exams well, pray
to God. When you are about to propose to a girl, pray to God. When
you are appearing for a campus interview, pray to God.
Nowadays, everything is
demanded. Respect, dignity, self-esteem, self-respect, etc., devotion
is the latest addition in that list. Here lunar eclipse falls as a prey to demand devotional spirit from people.
5. Lunar Eclipse as a Bad omen of Luck
Bad Omen? Really!? First and
foremost, I don't really understand in what way luck plays a role in our
professional or personal life. And can somebody for god sake explain how lunar
eclipse comes to this picture.
Indian's are born creative and innovative, I
must admit. But guys, can't we apply it in rather other important stuffs?
Top 5 myths of Lunar Eclipse every Indian must know
Reviewed by Gowthama Rajavelu
on
23:10
Rating:
Reviewed by Gowthama Rajavelu
on
23:10
Rating:
Haven't heard of these myths nor am I superstitious but somewhere I feel there could be a reason if people ages before said this :)
ReplyDeleteThere is no scientific correlation with above stated points shweta, that's the reason it is considred as myth. And I feel is, most of these things came through solar eclipse, which is completely a different phenomenon.
DeleteHow do one determines what is myth & what is scientific? Earth revolves around sun or sun around earth? Either is true in the light of relativistic physics. :)
ReplyDeleteValid question Ravish. And it is up to the people to think over this before they state certain things, which is of no meaning.
DeleteLoved the post Gowthama. This is exactly what still happens in my mom's house... oh well! I stay out of it as long as I am not forced into following these myths!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing buddy :-)
Good that you stay out of it Archana, I hear people are being forced to follow these myths. Thanks for dropping by and spending time with Creatikaa. Appreciate it ;-)
DeleteDo not go excited on the WHO research. What would you say, of the women, of Aghanistan then?
ReplyDeleteConditions in Afganisthan is different with that of India Ajay. It is just an information mate ;-) Let us not forget that this article is about myths in Lunar Eclipse not about women empowerment :-D
DeletePoint Taken!
DeleteMuch appreciated :-P
DeleteHi Gowthama,
ReplyDeleteThanks for busting the Myths. You are awesome! :)
- Rohan.
Thank you Rohan for the kind words.
DeleteWhen I was pregnant, my Mom hurriedly checked the calendar to search for lunar eclipse during my pregnancy. She told me women are not allowed to cut vegetables, not allowed to look at the sky etc. I don't believe them and thankfully no lunar eclipse was there during my pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteThis is what am expecting Sonali, real-life experience on these myths. Sounds really pathetic! Thanks for dropping by and sharing your experience Sonali.
DeleteThis I thoroughly enjoyed Gowhthama. My two cents
ReplyDelete1) If we took bath at every religious or an auspicious occasion, we would never come out of the bathroom
2) Refrain from eating can work for diet conscious people
3) The women restriction is heights, as if they do not have enough restrictions already!!
A very interesting post mate :). I didn't know there were so many myths surrounding it!
I always wait for your comments as soon as I post some article in my blog as it adds value to my entire post. This is one such refined comment Vinay. There are much more which I didn't mentioned here mate.
DeleteI was surprised when my neighbor who is pregnant asked me that if I know any priest as she wants to take all the precautionary measures during last week's eclipse. I was like how can these well educated women think about eclipse as a bad omen. Nice post
ReplyDeleteStrange isn't it!?! People are ignorant Girija. I don't know when they are going to come out from it. Thanks for dropping by and sharing your opinion.
DeleteThis is pretty surprising that we have all these myths in our society. i agree with girija a friend of mine just is in her 7th month. Last week over the eclipse she sat with the bhagwad geeta and a coconut in her hand was chanting for 4 hrs!!
ReplyDeleteWhile praying is good but due to these reasons i donno!
Exactly Rashmi, we shouldn't push somebody to do things. As you rightly pointed out, praying is good, but chanting for 4 hrs that too for these reasons. I don't get it. Most importantly, literate people do all these things, which surprises me.
DeleteI have heard about the first myth though never got the explanation. However, my parents never told us about such things. I heard it from my neighbors. Unfortunately, some people are so obstinate in clinging to old beliefs and superstitions it's hard to make them understand their mistakes of blindly following something.
ReplyDeleteSomethings has to be done to change this trend but dont know how. As you said, it is very difficult to change their mindset.Thumbs up to your parents Moon and thanks for sharing your opinion :-)
DeleteGreat post...Really don't understand how people can still believe in such stuff....
ReplyDeletehttp://scribbleyourthoughts.blogspot.in
Thank you Neha for the complement. IGNORANCE!
DeleteGood one Gowthama, Nicely articulated the bitter truths on myths related to the topic. Enjoyed reading it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and sharing your views. Good to see you :)
DeleteI always spoke against these myths and thus gained some unwanted harsh criticisms...
ReplyDeleteBut no worries, I will continue to speak against such obnoxious myths till I get an answer..
I like this post...keep writing on topics which are out of the box kind...
Glad to see a like-minded person. Even I do the same. Let us continue it until it ends. Thanks for dropping by and sharing your view. will write more such articles mate.
DeleteI am not into these but lot of people are. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGood that you are not into this. Just start empowering people who are into this. Thanks for dropping by and spending sometime with creatikaa. Much appreciated!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI also don't believe in all these myths, but still I don't have a valid reason to Accept/Discard these myths.
All these so called "myths", we have inherited from our parents and grand parents, they also inherited, and the chain continued. But what were the explanations to prove these myth have been lost in between. So we really don't know if these "myths" are really myths or not.
And, please don't say, that there is no scientific explanation for these "myths". Can science prove GOD, creation of universe, etc. ? Science calculated the distance between earth and sun in 1900's, which was already known to Hindus way long back. And a many more things, which science has not proved.
So just saying there is no scientific explanation, and discarding the "myth" is not right.
Hope, I have made a point.
Thank you
Regards
Pankaj
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-a-lunar-eclipse-considered-inauspicious
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pankaj. Moreover do we say other religions do not have such myths?
ReplyDeleteMano
What if there is a scientific reason??
ReplyDeleteAfter all,they are really old myths.
It sounds this author does not have any knowldge to prove as myth...but he knows what happens in society, so thinks whatever it does not make sense to him is a myth(quoting based on poor reasoning), because there is no immediate visible effect... I don't think any effort is put in to understand before writing...
ReplyDeleteWhatever we don't understand to our very limited knowldge, does not mean myth. We have to accept one thing that thousands (millions) of years ago also our Rishi's were determining when eclipse happens... so these careful measures also might makes sense although some practices might have got extracted or dailuted...
Don't depend too much on science for making up mind, because it is ever changing... 100, 50 years ago reasons and today are different and 50 or 100 years later it will be different.. it is evolving and limited knowldge...