This is it...

January 15, 2010

I was waiting for ten years to see this moment... The biggest Annular Solar eclipse of the millennium... I am glad I could see it from Kanyakumari.

Today, I got up in the morning, the Sun was just rising . The bay looked calm and wore a shining blue-grey. I stood there for some time & took pictures...

There was a thick cloud cover near east horizon. (Seems like clouds and rain follow me whenever I go..) Clouds do add some excitement to the eclipse, but still I was worried a bit. Then as the Sun came up sky got cleaner.

We went to the Idli Shop for breakfast. South India is famous for the food, and I'm enjoying it for three days. As we went to the market area, I noticed that the crowd has increased by hundreds & thousands. There were devotees of Ayyappa all over the place & too much of crowd makes me feel strange. I then went to Vivekananda Puram. They work to carry forward the mission of Swami Vivekananda, & spread the message of ancient India to the mankind. A building there exhibits the photographs of the 'Wondering Monk'. I was so thrilled by reading through it! Also, many people have specially come there to experience the eclipse. many of them were from Mumbai, same place as me.. We all discussed about the eclipse.
I came back to hotel as, that was the perfect place to watch the eclipse- high terrace and open sea..

So we all went upstairs, many others have already gathered there. We waited, we waited and we saw it! The perfect ring.. the Ring of Fire.. words fall short to describe what I felt! It was just amazing.. I even got a call from office and I reported on the eclipse through phono.
When the eclipse ended, all devotees started for the sea to take a bath. There are so many superstitions & rituals surrounding eclipse. Most of them are baseless. This has always created a debate among rationalists & conservative people.

I think one must not forget the difference between beliefs and superstitions. I was told by an astrologer not to see this eclipse, but I would have missed this lifetime experience if I had feared after his prediction. So far nothing has happened to me. But this debate too, is useless. And not so productive.

Anyways, the eclipse have brought the two poles together- the scientific community & religious and that's a miracle on the earth.. Feeling of oneness despite all the differences....