Partial solar eclipse enchants sky gazers in Kolkata

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Sky gazers assembled on rooftops and in open ground across West Bengal on Tuesday to witness the partial solar eclipse, which was visible from most parts of India along with several other countries.

At Birla Industrial & Technological Museum (BITM), Kolkata, around 25 students, teachers, and other visitors had gathered on its premises to watch the celestial spectacle.

The director at Institute of Astronomy Space and Earth Science, Debiprosad Duari, said, “The cosmic experience began at 4:52 pm, and it was at its peak at 5:01 pm.

"Enthusiasts were initially not sure whether the partial eclipse can be seen amid predictions of rain due to cyclone 'Sitrang'. To the amazement and excitement of the people that gathered, the sky was clear when the eclipse happened. In Kolkata and nearby areas, only four per cent obscuration was witnessed."

Duari said that people in north Bengal, too, could witness the phenomenon, though for a shorter duration.

Several people were seen huddling in small groups at the city's bathing ghats to take a dip in the Ganges after the celestial event.

Indologist and historian Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri told PTI that a section of people "still go by the belief that taking a bath is necessary to cleanse body, mind and soul after 'surya grahan'. Many don't eat cooked food during eclipse, going by age-old beliefs and rituals.

"Such practices, however, have largely lost relevance in the present times," Bhaduri added.