Tomorrow there will be a total solar eclipse (sampoorna surya grahanam) that will be visible in Northern India and neighboring Countries. This will be the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century. In Hyderabad, because we're too far south it will only be a partial eclipse (70%-80%) that will take place at sunrise. Can you imagine? A rising sun partially covered by the moon? I'm sure it will be amazing.
But now I'm worried. It all started when my friend Angela's landlord told her not to move in tomorrow because it would be highly inauspicious; so we started discussing whether she should or not since she is already paying rent for the apartment (we finally concluded she shouldn't, if not for luck, for cultural sensitivity -I mean, who wants their landlord to think they're a bad omen?).
So I did a little research and it turns out that whether the eclipse is good or bad has been one of the most brainstorming questions of the year for astrologers, because there will be 3 eclipses in a 30 day period (lunar eclipse on July 6, solar eclipse on July 22, and lunar eclipse on August 6). During previous occasions when there were three eclipses major wars happened. First was the Kurukshetra war in the Mahabharata and also the World Wars took place after three consecutive grahams (!). Because of this most astrologers have indicated that this eclipse is a very bad omen that will be related to wars and violence, as well as to natural disasters related to water.
Since it is considered to be very inauspicious by all astrologers, people should not undertake any new projects on this day, eat anything prepared on this day and put a blade of grass on water or food to protect it. People are taking this very seriously. What is most interesting is that the measures taken regarding the eclipse have been the same for centuries; what science has brought is only the ability to predict when such events will happen, but no changes on how they are perceived.
This reminded me of one of my favorite books when I was growing up: "A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur" by Mark Twain. It is a very fun book. When Hank Morgan is about to be burned at the stake (by none other than Merlin), he remembers that on that day in 528 AD there will be a solar eclipse and by "predicting" it he saves his neck... His science gives him power over the superstitious medieval English. Science and having the ability to predict natural phenomena has changed men's perception of himself and empowered him over nature (at least in his mind). Big contrast with the situation here. Take a look at this comments from the astrological blog about the eclipse:
Anonymous said...
I just love how rational-anonymous must have some hidden religious agenda to make the statements he/she makes...
But even if being scared of an eclipse is foolishness given what we know about this astronomical event, I still I worry given the recent happenings in my life. Apparently the effect of the eclipse is different according to zodiac sign. It turns out that the Surya Grahan is "unfavorable and bad (extremely negative according to another website) for the natives of Mesh (Aries), Karkataka (Cancer), Simha (Leo) and Dhanu (Sagittarius) rasis or zodiac signs". I'm Cancer!
I don't want to take any chances... Maybe I should just be a fool and stay home. A happy and safe fool.
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta superstition. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta superstition. Mostrar todas las entradas
lunes, 20 de julio de 2009
domingo, 5 de julio de 2009
The curse of the Indian mangoes
I have payed dearly for my cheekiness. The mango gods have struck me down for my blasphemies and put me in my place. Pretending Mexican mangoes were better than Indian ones. What nerve!
This weekend I went to Kumbakonam for an Indian wedding (to be recounted shortly). The wedding was great, but I had a lot of misadventures coming back to Hyderabad. On Sunday I got very sick, but I decided to still take the train to Chennai in order not to miss my flight back to Hyderabad on Monday morning (enough plane stories for a summer, or so I thought).
After a miserable train ride, feeling terribly ill, we got to Chennai at 5 am. I was half asleep and in a lot of pain, I couldn't walk for fear of having to run to the bathroom at any second. After taking a shower at Olga's house, I called a taxi to get to the airport; the taxi didn't show up, so I ended up taking an auto (by now I'm cutting it really close to my flight and autos go at 30 kmh, max). On the way to the airport the auto driver stops for gas and asks me for a fare advance. I look for my wallet and... it's missing. It probably fell out after I took it out in the train station in my dreamy-sick haze to pay something. Woe is me. I had money and, more importantly, my debit and credit card I've been using to get money while here. And I also really liked that wallet. Double woe.
I freaked out but I pushed on to get to the airport. I would figure a way to pay the driver. But I got to the airport at 8 am and my plane left at 8:20 am. There was no way I'd get on the plane. So I turned back to Olga's house (poor Olga is paying some past life dues: she is always around when these things happen to me), who payed the driver, gave me money, consoled me and helped me get a train to Hyderabad that afternoon.
Since then I've been trying to understand why these things happen to me, it's not normal to have something happen every other weekend, is it? So I started wondering: Did I do something wrong? Was it my fault? Could I have done something differently? (not in this case, I think) Has someone put the evil eye on me? Whyy? Is some occult power at work? As I've said before, we try to find reasons for things, no matter how absurd, even when there are none.
So I was trying to convince myself to be rational and stop trying to find ludicrous reasons, when it hit me: It was the mangoes!!
It makes perfect sense:
1. I angered the mango gods. I challenged them openly and thought I could get away with it.
2. In Hinduism, the perfectly ripe mango is often held by Lord Ganesha. Outside the wedding hall there was a Ganesha statue. AND Ganesha is the creator and remover of obstacles.
3. Ten days later, which coincidentally is the crown radius of a mango tree and the duration of Ganesha's most important festival, I got terribly sick after drinking mango juice. This caused all the other problems.
This is not superstition. It's scientific. So there's only one thing to do: Extend a public apology for saying Mexican mangoes are better. I take it back! Forgive me! I was arrogant and conceited. I was presumptuous. I went above myself. I will never do it again!
(I hope this is enough...Cross your fingers. Maybe i should do a mango offering at the temple? coconut?)
This weekend I went to Kumbakonam for an Indian wedding (to be recounted shortly). The wedding was great, but I had a lot of misadventures coming back to Hyderabad. On Sunday I got very sick, but I decided to still take the train to Chennai in order not to miss my flight back to Hyderabad on Monday morning (enough plane stories for a summer, or so I thought).
After a miserable train ride, feeling terribly ill, we got to Chennai at 5 am. I was half asleep and in a lot of pain, I couldn't walk for fear of having to run to the bathroom at any second. After taking a shower at Olga's house, I called a taxi to get to the airport; the taxi didn't show up, so I ended up taking an auto (by now I'm cutting it really close to my flight and autos go at 30 kmh, max). On the way to the airport the auto driver stops for gas and asks me for a fare advance. I look for my wallet and... it's missing. It probably fell out after I took it out in the train station in my dreamy-sick haze to pay something. Woe is me. I had money and, more importantly, my debit and credit card I've been using to get money while here. And I also really liked that wallet. Double woe.
I freaked out but I pushed on to get to the airport. I would figure a way to pay the driver. But I got to the airport at 8 am and my plane left at 8:20 am. There was no way I'd get on the plane. So I turned back to Olga's house (poor Olga is paying some past life dues: she is always around when these things happen to me), who payed the driver, gave me money, consoled me and helped me get a train to Hyderabad that afternoon.
Since then I've been trying to understand why these things happen to me, it's not normal to have something happen every other weekend, is it? So I started wondering: Did I do something wrong? Was it my fault? Could I have done something differently? (not in this case, I think) Has someone put the evil eye on me? Whyy? Is some occult power at work? As I've said before, we try to find reasons for things, no matter how absurd, even when there are none.
So I was trying to convince myself to be rational and stop trying to find ludicrous reasons, when it hit me: It was the mangoes!!
It makes perfect sense:
1. I angered the mango gods. I challenged them openly and thought I could get away with it.
2. In Hinduism, the perfectly ripe mango is often held by Lord Ganesha. Outside the wedding hall there was a Ganesha statue. AND Ganesha is the creator and remover of obstacles.
3. Ten days later, which coincidentally is the crown radius of a mango tree and the duration of Ganesha's most important festival, I got terribly sick after drinking mango juice. This caused all the other problems.
This is not superstition. It's scientific. So there's only one thing to do: Extend a public apology for saying Mexican mangoes are better. I take it back! Forgive me! I was arrogant and conceited. I was presumptuous. I went above myself. I will never do it again!
(I hope this is enough...Cross your fingers. Maybe i should do a mango offering at the temple? coconut?)
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Please folks, there is enough evidence to prove that there is no :harmful: effect of solar eclipse of pregnant women or even normal people. This is a myth, a superstition - and please keep it at that. There is no harm in partially blocking a source of light, any "harmful" rays would be blocked too ... such as UV etc.. and NO effect on an person, except AVOID looking directly at the sun - it is so bright, it can damage your eyes (eclipse or no eclipse - all the time). thanks
Hey Anony.. are you a Christian to just tarnish Hinduism.. you are at the wrong place. SURYAGRAHAN DOES EFFECT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND NORMAL PEOPLE TOO.. DONT SPREAD FOOLISHENSS IT IS A MYTH.. YOU ARE A MYTH..