| |
INDIA: There was a stampede on the banks of the holy Ganges in India's Varanasi city, as thousands gathered to watch the solar eclipse. One woman was reported to have died, and several others were injured.
Early in the morning, millions across India took a dip in the holy Ganges, an act said to purge one's sins. People chanted hymns and prayed to the sun. Some believe that bathing in the Ganges at the time of the eclipse brings good fortune.
One devotee said: "We feel that when God is angry, he creates some miracles to remind his people to work truthfully and shun violence. So for us, this is a reminder that one day this world will end, and we should strive everyday to fulfil God's wishes."
But the gathering in Varanasi city was marred by a stampede. Devotees rushed to the banks of the Ganges to take a dip in the river, and some ended up being trampled by the crowd.
Another devotee said: "There was no police security at the banks of the Ganges. It was so crowded that it was impossible to escape. The police was not prepared to handle the crowd and that was why the stampede happened."
Some enthusiasts went to extreme heights to view the eclipse. A charted plane flew passengers above the clouds at 41,000 feet, so that they could get a clear view of the phenomenon.
In New Delhi, sky watchers and scientists got a rare glimpse of the sun's corona as they viewed the eclipse from their solar spectacles and telescopes.
A tourist from Belgium said: "It was really an amazing experience. It was amazing to see how dark it got. It was also windy and I could feel the cold wind. I was really excited and the entire experience gave me goosebumps."
But there were also tens of thousands who were disappointed.
The US space agency, NASA, marked Taregana village in Bihar state as the "epicentre" of the solar eclipse.
In the run up to the event, the village was overflowing with tourists. But an overcast sky meant they will need to wait another century for a total eclipse to pass this way again.
Morning had turned into night for more than three minutes in most parts of India. While for some it was an experience of a lifetime, others preferred to stay indoors to avoid any harmful effect of the phenomenon.
But scientists hope that with so much media attention generated by the solar eclipse, students will now start taking more interest in science, especially astronomy.
- CNA/yt
|
