Lunar Eclipse Causes Lunacy

Indian science of eclipses is different that rest of the world. We believe that an eclipse is caused when Rahu and Ketu, the two invisible planets, swallow either the sun or the moon depending upon the time of the year. An eclipse in Sanskrit is called grahanam.

Life on the day of the eclipse is very different than other days. Hindus bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as the eclipse begins. They will stand up in the water and chant Krishna Mahamantra till the eclipse lasts. (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila 13.124. purport.) This is mandatory even if News services warn you against it since the tides will be high.

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Superseding Superstition

For a while I have noticed that Devraj, my colleague at work, has a strange habit. He never picks up his cell at the first ring. He always waits until at least the third ring to pick it up. One day I could not help but ask him.”I know it is none of my business, but I am just curious,” I said. “Why do you wait for two rings before you pick up your cell phone?”

“Oh, it is simple,” he said. “If you pick up the phone too quickly, it is going to be bad news. So I wait.”

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Morality in the Age of Mobile

I grew up with middle class morality – and mentality. You know the kind that teaches you to be honest and hard working so that you can get a clerical job at a corrupt business. The rallying cry was striving for mediocrity. Not excellence, not even success. Do not be so full of yourself. Have some modesty. Yes that kind where mediocrity is always protected under the veil of modesty. No one ever told in the collective face of Indian middle class: “Don’t be modest, you are not that great.” So we kept struggling to survive. We middle class marveled at our mundane mediocrity.

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