The Indian men’s cricket team reportedly postponed the start of its training session in Mumbai on Tuesday (March 3) to avoid a clash with the Lunar Eclipse. The team wanted to observe the superstition that Lunar Eclipses, or Chandra Grahan in Hindi, are inauspicious.
The team was supposed to practice between 6-9 pm at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of the crucial semi-final against England on Thursday. The eclipse began at 3:20 PM IST, lasting until 06:47 PM.
“The team found out that since it is chandra grahan ‘lunar eclipse’ one should avoid doing anything good. As India is playing the semi-finals against England the team wanted to start on a positive note. Many felt that we can push the practice time until 6:40 PM one should avoid doing any activity. The team management agreed to it, and practice was postponed by an hour,” a source was quoted a as saying.
In India, lunar eclipses are traditionally viewed as inauspicious due to deep-rooted mythological and energetic beliefs.
According to Vedic mythology, the demon ‘Rahu’ seeks revenge by momentarily ‘swallowing’ the Moon, symbolizing a victory of darkness over light. Consequently, many observe strict protocols: temples close, people fast, and pregnant women follow specific precautions to shield the unborn from perceived negative vibrations.
