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**Rare Celestial Event: Shradh Period Marked by Dual Eclipses After 122 Years**
**Aligarh, India** – A rare celestial alignment is set to coincide with Shradh, the Hindu period of paying homage to ancestors. This year, Shradh will begin with a lunar eclipse on September 7th and end with a solar eclipse on September 21st. The last time such a phenomenon occurred was 122 years ago.
While the solar eclipse will not be visible in India, the lunar eclipse is expected to be visible across the country and in several other parts of the world. According to Swami Purnanandpuri, head of the Vedic Astrology Institute, the lunar eclipse will begin at 9:57 PM on September 7th and conclude at 1:27 AM, lasting approximately three hours and 30 minutes. Due to its visibility in India, the *Sutak* period will be observed.
During the eclipse, the moon will be in Aquarius (Kumbh Rashi) alongside Rahu, creating a “Grahan Yoga” (eclipse conjunction). Concurrently, the sun and Ketu will be in Virgo (Kanya Rashi), forming another “Grahan Yoga” and creating a *Samasaptak Yoga*. Astrologers believe this alignment is inauspicious and could potentially lead to natural disasters in mountainous and sensitive regions, as well as political upheaval internationally.
The *Sutak* period, a time of ritual impurity, precedes both solar and lunar eclipses. For the lunar eclipse, the *Sutak* will begin at 12:57 PM. During this period, it is advised to avoid auspicious activities like worship, marriage ceremonies, and housewarming. Cooking and eating are also discouraged. Foodstuffs should be covered with *kusha* grass. Pregnant women are advised to avoid using sharp objects and to apply *geru* (red ochre) paste to their abdomen. Upon the eclipse’s conclusion, a cleansing bath and the sprinkling of Ganges water in the home are recommended.
**Additional Aligarh News:**
* Work has commenced on the layout for the Greater Aligarh Residential Scheme, with the main road planned to be 45 meters wide.
* The Municipal Corporation demolished encroachments from Abdul Karim Chauraha to Upar Kot.
* A businessman was defrauded of ₹41 lakh in a chemical scam, and the cyber police have initiated an investigation.
* 11,000 new community toilets will be constructed in this financial year, while 121 existing toilets remain locked.
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