"Dis is da problem ven u overwork!!! Poor Sun takes just a 6 minute break an da whole world is talking abt it!!!" - This was a tag line written by one of my friends on facebook. Isn't it right that the Sun is overworked! It's only when it's not there that we realise it's importance. On a sunny day, when the heat is unbearable, we curse the sun, on a cloudy day we curse it again! Come winters and we curse it for not shining brightly. But, one moment of rest for it, and the world stands still.
All the ga ga over the solar eclipse seems to be dying down today. It was after all supposed to be the longest eclipse of the 21st century. All the attention was expected. Did I say suppose!! The eclipse watchers will chase me till I accept the theory that it was indeed 'the longest' eclipse of the century. After all, it did last for appx 5 mins. But, I missed it. I simply overslept. The clouds had anyway taken over the skies and I was faraway from any place where the eclipse was fully visible. Above all, nature was plotting against me and ensured that i do not watch the spectacle unfold itself.
The world watched the dazzling sun being devoured by the moon and in a moment darkness had enveloped the morning, and converted it into five minutes of miraculous night. There was pitch darkness and then emerged the ring - the diamond ring, one that nature had gifted to humanity. Space tourists had created means of watching the eclipse, some travelled by planes, so as to capture the sun through their lenses. They did not want the clouds to play spoilsport and went beyond the clouds to catch the ring closely.
Clouds did cover the skies and barred millions of people from watching the eclipse at Taregna, near Patna. Varanasi, however, was the place that was blessed and the people who witnessed the eclipse will remember it forever. Fortune tellers had the time of their lives predicting future while scientists analyzed the eclipse. The astronomers sat glued to their telescopes to capture each move of the moon and the Sun. The eclipse has passed me by, and all I can do now is wait for the next eclipse. I am sure I will catch it next time. The sun is shining brightly and there's not a trace of darkness left behind. The moon is moving on it's usual route. All is as it was. There is hope..