Surya Grahan Fasting Time in January 2010 – How to fast and perform pujas during Solar Eclipse on January 15
The Annular Solar Eclipse, Surya Grahan, taking place on January 15, 2010 is an important religious event for several Hindu communities. Several Hindus fast during the grahan period – the fasting begins 12 hours before the beginning of the eclipse. The fasting or Vedarambha for this particular Grahan on January 15 begins at 21:22 hrs on January 14, 2010. (All dates and time are based on Indian Standard Time.)
The fasting is performed during Surya Grahan is based on the belief that due to the unique solar event cooked food and other such items on earth comes under the influence of the solar event and gets spoiled. The fast begins 12 or 9 hours prior to Grahan because when the actual eclipse begins the stomach will be empty.
All food items – solid and liquid- are covered with Darba grass during the period. (You can read more about it here.)
Some communities do not perform Shardh and Tarpan for dead relatives during the Grahan period – this based on the belief that the ancestors will be fasting during the period. But Shradh is performed during this period by certain Hindu communities who believe that their ancestors descended from Devas or Demi gods.
Taking snan or bath in Holy River or at home at the beginning of the Grahan and after the end of the Grahan is considered highly auspicious. (Why snan is taken during the period can be found here.)
Please note that these rituals are only performed by certain Hindu communities. Majority of Hindus do not fast during the period but those living near Holy Rivers take bath during the period.
Why do we Hindus take bath during Surya Grahan or Solar Eclipse in Holy Rivers?
Sun or Surya has been part of worship in Hinduism from time immemorial. The legend of the Surya Grahan, or Solar Eclipse, is traced to the Puranas and the famous incident of the Samudra Madana or Churning of ocean. Scriptures suggest that taking holy dip in holy rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Kaveri and in teerthas like Brahma Sarover in Kurukshetra in Haryana will help in removing the stains of the Adharmic activities performed by people in this birth and previous births. It is seen as the best form of worship and ritual to attain Moksha – escape from cycle of birth and rebirth.
Another popular belief is that this rare and unique solar phenomenon – the alignment of sun, moon and earth – generates curative properties in holy waters of the rivers and ponds.
So we Hindus take bath during Grahan
- To wash away the sins
- To attain moksha
- And due to the curative properties found in the water during the period
The Time to Take Bath during Grahan
Today, Hindus take bath during any period of the Grahan. Elders and scriptures suggest that the bath taken when the Surya Grahan starts (sparsha) and those taken when the grahana ends (moksha) is more auspicious and helpful.
Holy bath performed at the beginning of Solar Eclipse or Grahana gets result that is equal to performing 100,000 holy dips in various holy rivers and ponds. The holy dip performed after the end of solar eclipse or Moksha Nantara Snana gets one the result of performing uncountable Snans in holy rivers and teerthas.
Importance of taking holy dip at Brahma Sarover in Kurukshetra
The holy bath taken in the Brahma Sarover in Kurukshetra during eclipse is of even greater importance.
It is widely believed that to bath in the in Brahma Sarover in Kurukshetra is equal to performing the famous Ashwa Medha Yajna or Yagam mentioned in several Hindu scriptures. It is also said that all the holy waters in the rivers mentioned in the Hindu scriptures flow to the Brahma Sarover Tirth during solar eclipse. You can more read about Brahma Saravor Snan here.
But do all people taking Holy bath during Surya Grahan attain Moksha?
This doubt was once raised by Goddess Parvati to Lord Shiva. To find answer to the divine question the divine couple attended one such Mela.
Surya Grahan January 15, 2010 Astrology Predictions for Various Rasi and Zodiac Signs
As per Hindu astrology, the Surya Grahan will be taking place in Makara Rashi and the star constellation or Nakshatram is Uttarashada Nakshatra. The Grahan is not good (Vishesha Ashubha Phala) of Makara Rasi, or Capricorn Zodiac and Uttarashada Nakshatra people. As per traditional calendars followed in North India, the solar eclipse will be taking place on Magh Amavasya day. As per traditional calendar followed in Andhra Predesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra, the grahan will be taking place on Poush Amavasi.
The Surya Grahan on January 15, 2010 is good or has Shubha Phala for Mesha Rashi (Aries Zodiac), Simha Rasi (Leo Zodiac), Vrishchika Raasi (Scorpio Zodiac) and Meena Rashi (Pisces Zodiac)
The Grahan will have mixed fortune (Good and bad) or Mishra Phala for Vrishabha Raasi (Taurus Zodiac), Karka or Kataka Rashi (Cancer Zodiac), Kanya Rasi (Virgo Zodiac) and Dhanu Rashi (Sagittarius Zodiac).
The Grahan will have bad effects or Ashubha phala for Mithuna Rashi (Gemini Zodiac), Tula Rasi (Libra Zodiac), Makara Rashi (Capricorn Zodiac), Kumbha Raasi (Aquarius Zodiac).
The Solar Eclipse, or Surya Grahan, taking place on January 15, 2010 is an Annular Eclipse. The path of eclipse is – between South India and northern Sri Lanka – through the Palk Strait. The Annular Eclipse will be visible in South Kerala, South Tamil Nadu and Southern parts of Mizoram. The rest of the places in India it will be a partial eclipse. Here are the Places and Time in India where the partial eclipse is visible.
An annular eclipse is when the sun is visible like a ring of fire, with the moon darkening its centre. This will be visible only in South Kerala and South Tamil Nadu and Southern Tip of Mizoram. In the rest of the places in India, this eclipse will be a partial eclipse.
Four Metros
Delhi – 11:53 AM to 3:32 PM
Mumbai – 11:17 AM to 3:04 PM
Chennai – 11:25 AM to 3:15 PM
Kolkata – 12:07 PM to 3:29 PM
North East India
Agartala, Tripura – 12:06 PM to 3:32 PM
Aizawl, Mizoram – 12:20 PM to 3:23 PM
Dispur, Assam – 12:21 PM to 3:32 PM
Gangtok, Sikkim – 12:15 PM to 3:29 PM
Imphal, Manipur – 12.24 PM to 3:33 PM
Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh – 12:26 to 3:33 PM
Kohima, Nagaland – 12:25 PM to 3:34 PM
Shillong, Meghalaya – 12:20 PM to 3:32 PM
South India
Bangalore, Karnataka – 11:17 AM to 3:11 PM
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh – 11:29 AM to 3:15 PM
Pondicherry (Puducherri) – 11:22 AM to 3:14 PM
Thiruvanantapuram – 11:05 AM to 3:05 PM
Vishakapatanam, Vizag – 11:44 AM to 3:22 PM
Central India
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh – 11:41 AM to 3:14 PM
Raipur, Chattisgarh – 11:47 AM to 3:21 PM
Nagpur, Maharashtra - 11:39 AM to 3:17 PM
Eastern India
Bhuvaneshwar – 11:57 AM to 3:26 PM
Ranchi – 12:01 PM to 3:26 PM
North India
Chandigarh – 11:58 AM to 3:08 PM
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh – 11:59 AM to 3:09 PM
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir – 12:02 PM t0 3:00 PM
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – 11:55 AM to 15:18 PM
Dehradun, Uttarakhand – 11:59 AM to 3:11 PM
Jaipur, Rajasthan – 11:46 AM to 3:09 PM
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – 11:57 AM to 3:19 PM
Patna, Bihar – 12:05 PM to 3:25 PM
Western India
Gandhinagar, Gujarat – 11.28 AM to 3:04 PM
Panaji, Goa – 11:11 AM to 3:06 PM
Ahmedabad, Gujarat – 11:27 AM to 3:03 PM
Pune, Maharashtra - 11:18 AM to 15:06 PM
Places and Time in India Where Solar Eclipse or Surya Grahan on January 15, 2010 is visible
The Solar Eclipse, or Surya Grahan, taking place on January 15, 2010 is an Annular Eclipse. The path of eclipse is – between South India and northern Sri Lanka – through the Palk Strait. The Annular Eclipse will be visible in South Kerala, South Tamil Nadu and Southern parts of Mizoram. The rest of the places in India it will be a partial eclipse. Here are the Places and Time in India where the partial eclipse is visible.
An annular eclipse is when the sun is visible like a ring of fire, with the moon darkening its centre. This will be visible only in South Kerala and South Tamil Nadu and Southern Tip of Mizoram. In the rest of the places in India, this eclipse will be a partial eclipse.
Four Metros
Delhi – 11:53 AM to 3:32 PM
Mumbai – 11:17 AM to 3:04 PM
Chennai – 11:25 AM to 3:15 PM
Kolkata – 12:07 PM to 3:29 PM
North East India
Agartala, Tripura – 12:06 PM to 3:32 PM
Aizawl, Mizoram – 12:20 PM to 3:23 PM
Dispur, Assam – 12:21 PM to 3:32 PM
Solar Eclipse January 15, 2010 in India Time – Partial Solar Eclipse
Annular Solar Eclipse will be taking place on January 15, 2010 in India. Solar Eclipse Time on January 15, 2010 India time is from 11:25 AM to 3:15 PM (Indian Standard Time). This Solar eclipse is also visible in Singapore, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Africa, Europe, and parts of China. Hindu Panchangs and calendars have marked this eclipse. It is not visible in USA and Canada.
In India, the path of eclipse is through Palk Strait - Between South Kerala and South Tamil Nadu and North Sri Lanka.
Maximum eclipse will be visible in Trivandrum and other regions in south Kerala and in Tirunellveli, Madurai, Thanjavur, Kannyakumari, Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. The Annular eclipse will be visible for nearly 7 to 8 minutes.
What it is an Annular Eclipse?
An annular eclipse is when the sun is visible like a ring of fire, with the moon darkening its center. The longest annular solar eclipse of the third millennium will occur on January 15, 2010. There won't be an annular solar eclipse longer than this one till 3043. The last annular solar eclipse visible from India was in 1976.
In Trivandrum, the annular eclipse or the ring of fire, will be for nearly 8 minutes – from 13:10:35 hrs to 13:18:08 hrs. The ring of fire will be visible for a similar duration at Dhanushkodi, Rameshwaram, Kannyakumari and other nearby regions.
Map courtesy NASA
As per traditional Hindu Astrology, the solar eclipse time on January 15 is as follows: (Indian Standard Time)
- Partial Solar Eclipse begins - Sparsh kaal is 11:17 AM
- Middle period – Madhya kaal is 1:18 PM
- The eclipse ends – Moksh kaal is 3:04 PM
- Parv or Punya Kaal is 3:47 PM
Surya Grahan in India in January 2010 – Surya Grahanam India Time – partial Solar Eclipse
A partial solar eclipse, Surya Grahan, will be visible in India on January 15, 2010. According to NASA, the solar eclipse on 2010 January 15 is an Annular Eclipse. In India, it will be visible from 11:25 hrs to 15:15 hrs (Indian Standard Time) on January 15, 2010. The Surya grahanam will be visible in most of Africa, India, Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and parts of China. As per traditional Hindu calendar, January 15 is an Amavasi Day.
You can get detail time of the eclipse in different parts of India in this article - India January 15, 2010 Eclipse Time
What is Annular Eclipse?
An annular eclipse happens when the sun is visible like a ring of fire, with the moon darkening the center of the sun. In South India in Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, the annular eclipse, or the ring of fire, will be for nearly 8 minutes – from 13:10:35 hrs to 13:18:08 hrs.
In India, the grahan on January 15, 2010 passes between the southern tip of India and northern Sri Lanka. Both regions lie within the path where maximum annularity lasts for 10 minutes 15 seconds. Maximum grahan will be visible in Trivandrum and other regions in south Kerala and in Tirunellveli, Madurai, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.
The annular solar eclipse will be visible in places around world in the below map provided by NASA
click on the image for a larger view
All Hindu temples remain closed during Surya Grahan and will reopen only after the Grahan is over and after conducting special pujas and rituals. On the day, Hindus also take holy dip in holy rivers like Ganga and also at Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra.
Usually, religious Hindus do not perform any work during Surya Grahan and they purify themselves by taking a bath and chant the Ashtakshara Mantra dedicated to Shri Krishna and Mahamritunjaya mantra dedicated to Lord Shiva. Ashtakshara mantra is 'Shri Krishna ha sharnam mama.'
Caution: During Surya Grahan, there are some elements in society who take undue advantage of innocent Hindus in the name of astrology and various doshas on horoscope. Ancient Hindu saints only talk about the physical harm Surya Grahanam can create on human beings. Put the thinking cap and keep out unwanted elements who try to take undue advantage during such occasions. The only aim of such people is money.
Article From:- http://www.hindu-blog.com
With Love,
Ganesh Baba
http://kriyababa.blogspot.com/
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