This time the timing was such that the Eclipse started at around 8.40 p.m. and continued till after midnight. So after long long years We followed the beliefs/rituals and had our dinner before 7.30 p.m. and next day morning had our coffee after having a head bath!
This immediately set me to think about two distinct Chandra Grahanams ( Lunar Eclipse in Tamil) one Surya Grahanam. (no marks for guessing it right yes it is Solar Eclipse).
During our School days One Lunar Eclipse started in the evening and we could not watch the moon going into the shadow as there was still sunlight. But the closing time was convenient for us to watch.
Since we were learning science in school we were all ready with smoked glass pieces to watch the moon come out.
As there was no school in the afternoon (probably we were let off as it was the 'grahanam') me and my friend visited all the near by temples one of which is a cave temple. I still remember feeling scared as we have to go underground which used to be very dark int the Garba Griha, the main deity being Siva . People used to say that there are underground passages which could reach to Kasi' (yes the Benaras) . This temple is quite famous now and is called the Gavi Gangadareswara temple in Bangalore. Next we trotted to our famous, Nandi temple in Basavanagudi and also the Big Ganesha temple. (All these places are now huge tourist attraction in Bangalore). We were told that the temple would be closed during the Eclipse period. We had to hurry home as , according to the custom we were not supposed to eat anything during the eclipse period and wait till the Eclipse is over. We were all playing outside waiting for the Grahana to be over. At around 8 p.m. we could see the moon coming out slowly on this full moon day. We could see that clearly from naked eye and it was such an excitement. I do not remember how long it took for the whole moon to come out may be it took half an hour to forty five minutes.
We children were relaying the data as to how much more moon has to come out to our mothers who were waiting to have a bath and prepare some food for the big household who were all feeling more hungry as all were conscious that we did not have food for around three to four hours!
The moment the Eclipse was over there was lot of activity. Mother had to go and light the fire for hot water for all of us to bathe. Yes we used heat water with firewood. There used to be a big round vessel (copper?) which was fixed/ buried in Cement and under the vessel there was provision for the firewood to burn. Any body who grew up in Bangalore during 60s and 70s can visualize this as each house had the some contraption.
Once mother took bath it used to be a big fight as to who would go next as we were not allowed to eat anything unless we had a bath! It always was might is right and I was a weakling but sometime I used to cheat by taking help from my dad who had the Veto power. Just by his words I could get a chance to bathe first. (It is another story that in winter my mother had to cajole and scold us/especially me to go and have a bath).
My mother used to prepare what is called uppuma/uppittu or simply Rava kichidi. It used to be very simple devoid of any vegetables (other days it had lots of vegetables as ingredients) and it used to taste so good. Even now the rava kichidi prepared without any vegetables we call it 'grahana uppuma'
The next Full Lunar Eclipse I remember is the one which came on December 30th 1963. My Sister was Pregnant with her first child and she was supposed to sit inside a room with all the doors windows etc closed as no ray of light during the eclipse is to fall on her. She was sitting in one of the rooms with all the doors closed and even small openings were closed with cloth and what not.
To give her company we were all playing 'daya kattan' with her (which is a kind of board game which is played with dice.) My grandmother, mother, sister, my brother and myself were playing and every now and then I used to go out to watch the moon and the eclipse.
Poor sister, was having pains which was refuted by my grandma saying it is false pains. At last the eclipse was over and after hurridly eating the grahana uppuma my sister went into real labour pains and was rushed to hospital and within two hours my first niece and first grand child to my parents was born .(that is why I remember the date so vividly).
My grand mother was 60 years and she got her first great grand child who was born on the same tamil year as herself.(In tamil calender there are 60 years and each one is named and the names repeat after 60 years) .
The Solar Eclipse I remember is the one which happened in 1980 which was a very huge thing because it was to be visible in India and it was almost full solar eclipse as a full solar eclipse is very rare. Many Westerners were coming to India to watch the eclipse and they were showing it live on TV. This time I was in Chennai in my brother's place and it so happened that I was pregnant with my son and my sister in law was also pregnant with her son.
Already there were lots of advice to people not to see the Solar eclipse with naked eye and media covered it as a huge thing.
Now it was our turn to get into the bedroom with all the doors windows and little holes closed with cloth so that not even a single ray could come and reach both of us. Both of us being good friends had a great time together. Later on we were never allowed to watch the eclipse even on tv. My grand mother who was nearing 80 and my grand father were there and saw to it that we followed the rules correctly. But I do not remember eating any grahana uppuma!
