The city has been witness to a century, the first total lunar eclipse on Wednesday night. Eclipse began at 10:54 and lasted over five hours. Days began excitement. Some temples have closed their doors by 2:00, after a ritual. "Religious, eclipses are not considered approved. A set of rituals performed during this time," says Shiv Ram Sharma, temple priest in the Old Town. Varanasi and Haridwar Ganga Aarti in the evening took place during the day.
In the evening, as clouds shrouded the moon once a month was the fear of loss of performance. "The moon looked pale orange, creamy white to me," said Ashish Kumar, a resident of the city. He clicked on his cell phone camera images of the moon. Through the night, people were seen waiting for their rooftops to view the event, although some were glued to the TV. "I do not know if I would be able to see the next time," said Shilpa Sinha, a student. Believers in astrology had their own interpretations of events and some even stayed away from watching. "Some parents in my family ate early and went to bed before the beginning of the eclipse to avoid adverse effects. I recommend the same for us," said Madhumita Verma, a banker.
