Overcast weather eclipsed solar spectacle in Taregana

Taregana. After all the worst fear came to the fore and thousands of people who got up early morning here to witness century’s longest solar eclipse were denied viewing celestial wonder due to thick cloud gathered all around the sky.

The overcast weather, which was predicted by the Met department, got better off the enthusiasm against the backdrop of the layers of the cloud. The eclipse begun at the expected 5:29:57 am and it lasted for more than three minutes but not on iota of the sun covered behind the moon was glimpsed.

However, those who were present including chief Nitish KumarNitish Kumar, his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi, two scientists from NASA, astronomers from across the country and a group of tourists from Belgium had the wonderful celestial experience of the darkness at the dawn.

The moment the sun was eclipsed whole area was plunged into complete darkness giving a plausible idea of night in the morning. It was welcomed by huge cheers from the local people waiting for the momentous occasion on the ground.

“It was great disappointment that we could not see the eclipse clearly. It is more painful to know that in some parts of the country people had seen it,” said Rakesh Kumar, a local student.

For last couple of weeks Targeana was being considered as one of the most favourable places for the clear viewing of the total solar eclipse as it was predicted in the NASA bulletin and also many astrologers had the similar opinion taking past history of weather in this month of the year into account.

The chief minister was also bit disappointed but he surrendered it to the nature saying that man could not do much in such a condition.

“It would have been really wonderful had we witnessed the eclipse but one can take solace in experiencing the night-like-darkness in the morning,” he said.

He also made literary reference and interpreted it with the victory of light over the darkness of the past.

“Bihar’s glory was eclipsed for many years but now it has been rose to a new dawn,” he remarked sitting on the roof of newly constructed referral hospital.

Incidentally, Taregana is the place where famous astronomer Arybhatt (476-550 AD) had done his studies over stars and planets. It was here he had setup a laboratory along with two places in the state which included Khagaul and at another Taregana near Sone River. The three places were chalked out like a triangle.

Nitish also said that he had decided to give a boost to the study and experiments of astronomy with the opening of Arybhatt Gyan Sansthan.

However, at other places in the state like Patna and Fatuha the celestial spectacle was visible but cloud also played spoilsport to a great length of the time.

In Patna, thousands of devotees were congregated at the bank of Ganga and took holy deep just after eclipse was ended at 7:30 am as per their belief to ward off evils emerged from it.