Lunar Eclipse (Chandra grahan) 2018 and Super Blue Blood Moon in India: Popular myths that surround the phenomenon

Here are some of them:

* According to a National Geographic report, one of the interesting myths believed by the Incas — an American Indian people, originally a small tribe in the southern highlands of Peru, is that the total lunar eclipse happened when a jaguar attacked and ate the moon. Following its attack, the moon would turn blood red, which explained the moon’s colour during a total lunar eclipse. They would then fear that the big cat would crash to the earth after eating the moon. To prevent this, the Incas would point their spears towards the lunar eclipse, beat their dogs so they howl, bark and make a lot of noise.

* A Native American tribe from northern California believed that the moon had a lot of pets and about 20 wives. The pets would attack him when he would not get them enough food and as a result, he would bleed — explaining the moon turning red during the total lunar eclipse. This would end when the moon’s wives would come in to collect his blood and restore his good health.

* Another myth is the one believed, till date, by the Batammaliba community in Togo and Benin in Africa. People would see eclipses as the time when the sun and the moon would fight and they would come together to plead them to stop fighting. People came together and reconciled their differences during this time.

* Closer home, you will find many around us going on a fast on January 31. Wondering why? Well, because a lot of people believe that eating during lunar eclipse causes indigestion. They think that food and water taken in during the eclipse causes indigestion because of the harmful rays generated during this time. It is believed that the earth is exposed to dangerous rays and that food is affected in the absence of the sun’s light and, thus, eating it might cause indigestion.

* People handle sharp objects with extra care during lunar eclipses because if you cut yourself at this time, it is believed that the bleeding from the wound takes longer to stop and the wound in itself takes more time than usual to heal. It is also believed that the wounds would leave stubborn scars behind for a lifetime. This fear of hurting themselves stopped people from getting out of their houses and going to work during a lunar eclipse.

* People believe that pregnant women should not leave their houses during lunar eclipse fearing that the moon’s movement might harm the unborn children. Further, expecting mothers are not allowed to touch knives or sharp objects fearing development of deformities in the unborn children.

* People also believe you don’t leave food out on nights of an eclipse and we’re advised to throw leftovers away or put a tulsi (basil) leaf to ward away evil.

Interestingly, if one were to really think, many of these customs we’re relevant in ancient times when a lunar eclipse would mean total darkness and one way of barring people to go out into the jungle or at places where they’d be at the mercy of the elements was to link it to these stories and myths. Now, of course, we have an abundance of light thanks to electricity, and many of these warnings have been made redundant.

Nevertheless, this is the first super blue blood moon with a total lunar eclipse in 152 years, and we should really take a moment to realise and appreciate such a rare celestial phenomenon in our lifetime.