Dolphins surface, rationalists feast during eclipse

CHENNAI - Joggers on the Chennai beach were surprised to see dolphins swimming and jumping very near the shore early Wednesday, the day of the century’s longest eclipse, even as Dravida Kazhagam cadres ate food in public to debunk superstition linked to the celestial event.

As news about the dolphins being close to shore spread, a large number of people gathered on the beach to enjoy seeing them swim.

The sighting of dolphins is being attributed to the solar eclipse and the resultant changes in the sea.

Meanwhile, to prove the belief that having food during a solar eclipse is not injurious to health as some astrologers say, Dravida Kazhagam cadres dressed in black consumed food.

“There as several false beliefs in the society and one such belief is that it is not good for health to have food during eclipse. Our attempt is to prove such beliefs are false,” K. Veeramani, Dravida Kazhagam president, told reporters.