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Tens Of Thousands Flock To Holy Baths In India During Solar Eclipse
Tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims across India jostled to take holy baths in the sacred River Ganges after performing special prayers for ancestors during a rare solar eclipse on Monday, television networks reported. Devotees from across the country flocked to public bathing spots on the banks of the Ganges in the ancient Hindu holy towns of Varanasi, Haridwar and Allahabad. Most offered special prayers to ancestors as the moon started moving across the solar face at 4.20 pm (1050 GMT) and then carried out ritual bathing for the two-hour duration of the annular eclipse, which was also observed in parts of Africa, Europe and other Asian countries. The television channels showed footage of police struggling to control the surging crowds as they pressed forward to take a dip in the river. Thousands of others took cleansing baths in holy ponds on temple premises. The solar face was almost completely covered by the moon in India's southern and western parts but was seen only as a 20 percent eclipse in northern parts. Indian astrologers said the event could spark off disasters, epecially as it is to be followed by a lunar eclipse on October 17. "It's rare for a solar and lunar eclipse to occur within a fortnight of each other. This will affect the seas, and earthquakes and atmospheric disturbances are likely," astrologer M.Vishwapati was quoted as saying in the Asian Age newspaper. The astrologers cautioned people to take safety measures because of the rare celestial phenomenon. "It's difficult to judge the kind of influence it will have on people because it varies according to one's nakshatra (star signs). Depending on these, one should take specific precautions," said Pandit Rama Shastri Joshi, another astrologer. All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse. Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express 
Annular Solar Eclipse On October 03
Washington DC (SPX) Sep 29, 2005On Monday, October 03, an annular1 eclipse of the Sun will be visible from within a narrow corridor which traverses the Iberian Peninsula and stretches across the African continent. A partial eclipse will be seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes Europe, western Asia, the Middle East, India and most of Africa.
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