Skygazers gathered on rooftops and in the open ground in West Bengal on Tuesday to witness the partial solar eclipse.
Skygazers gathered on rooftops and in the open ground in West Bengal on Tuesday to witness the partial solar eclipse, which was visible from most parts of India along with several other countries.
At the Birla Industrial & Technological Museum (BITM), Kolkata, about 25 students, teachers and other visitors had gathered on site to witness the celestial spectacle.
The director of the Institute of Astronomy Space and Earth Science, Debiprosad Duari, said: “The cosmic experience started at 4:52 pm and was at its peak at 5:01 pm.
“Enthusiasts were initially unsure whether the partial eclipse could be seen amid forecasts of rain due to Cyclone ‘Sitrang’. To the amazement and excitement of those gathered, the sky was clear when the eclipse occurred. In Kolkata and nearby areas, only a four percent eclipse was witnessed.”
Duari said people in North Bengal were also able to witness the phenomenon, albeit for a shorter period of time.
Several people huddled 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 some of the people “still believe that taking a bath is necessary to cleanse the body, mind and soul after ‘surya grahan’. Many do not eat cooked food during the solar eclipse. beliefs and rituals.
“However, such practices have largely lost relevance in the present day,” Bhaduri added.
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