Guess my this year birthday would be more exciting than the past years ones. There'll be a partial solar eclipse here on July, 22nd.
I remember when I was 6th grade, there was a total solar eclipse in Thailand.
My family and I went to Nakhon Ratchasima, a province in the north east of Thailand to saw this natural phenomenon. We all were so excited.
At that time, I was picked by my elementary school to join the Thailand junior astronomical quiz competition. So I had little knowledge about this phenomenon (which have been totally forgotten.) I told my uncle and cousins how to make hand-made solar ecliptic glasses. I can recall that it's quite fun. We bought blackwhite film and made it sunbathed for awhile. Then we used a cardboard to make glasses and stuck the film on the paper as they're lenses, then decorated the glasses.
For astrology, this phenomenon means something bad. This belief is influenced by Hindu. People who believe in this should find black edible things (there should be 8 things -- don't ask why, I don't even know!) to make offerings to the spirit called "Pra Rahu." I recall that there're black-coloured oblations everywhere.
Pra Rahu Those black edible oblations could be --
black chicken
One of my favorite dessert, Chau Kuay.
It's a black sweet Chinese jelly dessert made from a plantkind.
(Picture credit to : http://www.bloggang.com/viewdiary.php?id=cojilovekimji&month=07-2008&date=01&group=10&gblog=1)
Piak Poon, Thai sweet blackened jelly
(Picture credit to : http://www.bloggang.com/mainblog.php?id=jjbd&month=24-09-2007&group=23&gblog=28)
Century eggs
(Wanna know what it is, also ask Mr.Wikipedia-->
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_egg)
And for modern people who have this belief, it could even be...
Essence of Chicken!!
The other could be...
- black coffee
- Cola
- boiled black sticky rice
- dark red grapes (Not black?? Well... try to see them black, then!)
- black whisky
and etc...
Some people believe that if the solar eclipse takes place on anyone's birth date, that ones would be unlucky for the rest of the year.
And my this year birthday, I'll turn 25... which is not good for Thai belief. (We have many believes, don't we.) At this age, Thais believe that it's unlucky year, also include ages 35, 45 and 55.
Or... should we be called... superstitious??
So... my age 25 doesn't seem good in people's thoughts. Though I'm not one of those people. But there's a Thai expsession, "Even though you don't believe it, but don't disrespect it." So I won't do anything against these believes just for making my family to be happy.
Back to the topic -- the solar eclipse
This solar eclipse will be on 22nd July. It'll be a total eclipse in India, China, Japan and south Pacific ocean. For Thailand, this phenomenon will be just only a partial solar eclipse -- since around 7am and will last for about 2 hours through 9.20 am. In bangkok, the sun will be mostly covered about 42.2% around 8.03am.
Hope I'd be awake in time. :-P
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