Eclipse · Grahan
Total Lunar Eclipse
Tuesday, 3 March 2026
- TypeTotal Lunar Eclipse (Chandra Grahan)
- DateTuesday, 3 March 2026
- Sutak begins2026-03-03 05:14 IST
- Node axisKetu
- Sign · nakshatraLeo · Purva Phalguni
- Visible from IndiaYes
What this is
A grahan (eclipse) is one of the most significant moments in the tradition — not for fear, but for stillness. This total lunar eclipse falls with the luminary near Ketu, in Leo (Purva Phalguni nakshatra).
Sutak timing
The Sutak period — the pause before and during the eclipse — begins 2026-03-03 05:14 IST (nine hours before a lunar eclipse). Worship, cooking, and new beginnings give way to japa, a cleansing bath, and quiet giving. Where the eclipse is visible, the Sutak window is observed.
How to hold it
Taught calmly: the shadow passes and the light returns. The old myth pictures Rahu and Ketu briefly catching the sun or moon — a time set apart, not a thing to dread.
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