In a display of unwavering religious adherence, temples throughout the NCR region shuttered their doors nine hours before the anticipated lunar eclipse on March 3. The onset of sutak at 6:20 AM transformed bustling shrines into hushed sanctuaries, as priests followed scriptural mandates to suspend all public worship.
The procedure was methodical: morning rituals concluded swiftly, devotees were ushered out politely, and gates secured with traditional rites. This practice stems from the belief that eclipses disrupt positive energies, making temple precincts vulnerable during sutak.
Idols receive special protection—draped in protective cloths—while puja paraphernalia is relocated to safe havens. The interim silence in these holy sites symbolizes respect for divine order amid celestial misalignment.
Come 7:00 PM, after the grahan’s passage, temples will undergo shuddhi karan: Ganga jal aspergation, dhup-deep illumination, and mantra jap. These steps pave the way for resumed aartis and poojas, inviting devotees to reconnect spiritually.
Authorities have ramped up awareness campaigns, urging the public to embrace sutak protocols at home and defer visits. The NCR’s faithful, caught between curiosity and piety, are navigating this period with a heightened sense of communal harmony.