ECLIPSE

On Tuesday, July 22, there was much excitement over the total solar eclipse of the sun that lasted more than 6 minutes, the longest for the 21st Century. It started in India and crossed through China into the Pacific Ocean. I had hoped to see the total eclipse but found out that it could not be seen directly from Singapore. Even if I could, the overcast sky and thunderstorm would have prevented me. This once-in-a-lifetime event will not occur again until June 2132, when it will last even longer than this year's .

The closest I had gotten to see was a partial lunar eclipse when I was living in a small oil town in Brunei Darussalam. I was then about 8 years old. My father was working for the Shell petroleum company and had been posted to Brunei. He was a counter salesman in the meat section of a Shell 'supermarket'. One night, I heard a big commotion outside our 'atap' house (a house built entirely of thatch made from dried fronds of the mangrove nipah palm). People had come out banging on pots, woks and empty tin cans. They were making the din to drive the dragon from eating up the moon. They were successful for the moon became full bloom again from the crescent it had become. Strangely, that was the last and only time I can remember witnessing an eclipse.

Eclipses had always engendered superstitions. Indian astrologers have predicted violence and turmoil, including a devastating natural disaster in Southeast Asia (where Singapore is) and a possible USA military action in Iran in September 09. Rumours abound in China of a forthcoming terrible earthquake. As for me, I am keeping my fingers crossed.