The Solar Eclipse

The biggest solar eclipse of the century that was to happen on 22nd July was one thing that we wanted to see. Ri and cousins had made the plans to travel to Surat, sleep overnight in a tent on the banks of Tapi, see the eclipse (if the clouds permit) or else have fun and return to Ahmedabad.

The idea of spending the night in the tent on the banks of the river in the rains was a bit indigestible for me. Added to this was the fact that kids stay home. While I wanted to see the eclipse, I had to make up my mind to leave at a very short notice, leaving Kai home, trying to explain her that ma and papa will not be around, calling up nani, dadi and friends to look after her, arranging for a day off at work and all sort of thoughts that one could imagine. I decided to opt out of the visit but could not make up my mind for that too. Finally I gathered all the courage and decided to leave my daughter home – to spend her afternoon at a friends place and then at home with dadi. After I explained this to Kai, she understood that ma would leave but finally said that “I would be happy if you do not go”.

2.00 p.m. on 21st, we went to the place from where we were supposed to leave, changed into the t-shirt that all of us were going to wear and sat in the car. To my surprise (which Ri did not tell me) there were no mums except for a couple of them. This made me think about my daughter and how I left her at home. Also this brought to my mind the idea of staying on the riverbank in the rains with no body with whom I can associate myself. This was because the guys were used to staying in the tents, in the forest, for days together and this was a one of its type trip for me.

I told everyone that I am not going and would love to get down. Ri kept on telling me that now that you are here and your daughter is set to stay alone, you may join. But I could not bring myself to accept that and finally, I got down from the car to take an auto and reached home to wait for my daughter to return from her friends place.

I enjoyed watching the eclipse at home with Kai on TV and talking to Ri on how they too did not see the eclipse but enjoyed how it got pitch dark and they had a great time – not staying in the tent but at a friends place.