Chandra Grahan 2020: Bizarre myths surrounding the Wolf Moon Eclipse

For a long time, eclipses have been a cause of great awe and worry for people. Of all eclipses, lunar eclipses can be seen easily because earth casts a bigger shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse.

In ancient times, whenever an eclipse occurred, people had no clear idea of what it was. This unexplainable phenomenon led to the formation of many bizarre myths to provide an answer. The year is going to witness its first penumbral lunar eclipse this week, on January 10. It will be visible across different continents like Asia, Africa, and Europe.

While you are waiting for the eclipse to happen, we present to you with some myths which are still widely believed in the 21st century.

The ancient Inca believed that the moon was being attacked by a jaguar during the lunar eclipse. To keep themselves safe, they used to create a lot of noise by shouting and letting their animals loose to scare the jaguar off.

This is another myth that is still prevalent across communities. It is said that the lunar eclipse can 'curse' the unborn child. The pregnant ladies are advised to stay indoors when an eclipse occurs. They are also not allowed to hold any sharp objects like knives or scissors as it might cause harm to the child.

According to Norse mythology, whenever an eclipse occurs, there is a belief that the two wolves, Hati and Skoll are the reason behind the darkness. It was believed that they had swallowed their prey either the sun or the moon.

There is another myth associated with the lunar eclipse. It is said that one should avoid getting hurt during an eclipse as it is believed that you can bleed for a long time. The wound will take longer to heal and might leave you with a permanent scar.

Natives of South America believe that the Sun and the Moon are brothers and they often fight it out as siblings do. So, whenever the eclipse occurs it signifies that one of them has knocked the other out.

This is a very common myth related to the lunar eclipse, which is also widely thought of in some parts of India as well. People are advised not to consume anything during the eclipse. According to belief, the food can go bad, leading to digestive trouble. For remedies, people also put basil leaves to cover the food and drinks to maintain its purity.

This was commonly believed that it is harmful to watch the lunar eclipse as it can hurt your eyes. This is not true at all, no harm will come to your eyes if you watch the lunar eclipse with naked eyes. This is only applicable in the case of the solar eclipse as it can harm your eyesight.

Eclipses are often interpreted as bad omens but lunar eclipse works quite oppositely in this thing. People believe that lunar eclipse helps in washing away the sins. They are encouraged to take a bath and people go as far as taking a bath in the Ganga. This will remove all the negativity and help you in attaining salvation.