Partial Lunar Eclipse 2019: India to witness Chandra Grahan on July 17; Dos and Donts

New Delhi, July 15: India is about to witness a Partial Lunar Eclipse on July 17 except extreme from north eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh.

As per US space agency NASA, the lunar eclipse will be at its peak at precisely 10.31 pm BST on July 16 (3:01 am IST on July 17).

The eclipse will be visible in areas across Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, and some neighbouring islands), Asia except northeastern parts, Africa, Europe except northern most Scandinavia, and most of South America.

A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and Moon but the three celestial bodies do not form a straight line in space. When that happens, a part of the Moon's surface is covered by the darkest, central part of the Earth's shadow. This central part of the Earth's shadow is called the umbra.

Partial Lunar Eclipse 2019 Dos

• One should take a ritualistic bath in the beginning of the eclipse.
• It is best advised to pray during the Grahan time or do Japa.
• Take bath after the eclipse.
• You can protect the food by putting Tulsi in it. The healing benefits of Tulsi makes the food consumable.
• Recital of mantras is an important activity you can do during the eclipse.
• You must take a ritualistic bath in the morning.
• The idols of Vishnu and Shiva should be bathed on this day.

Donts

• People avoid cooking, eating, and drinking during lunar eclipses. They believe food spoils faster in the absence of the Sun's light, and may bring on indigestion.
• Pregnant women must not step out of the house.
• Avoid doing important tasks during Grahan.

Uploading selfies of eating and drinking during the time of eclipse would be starting step towards breaking the false belief system prevalent in public.