Nandhi idol being decorated with fruits, vegetables and sweets to mark the Shankranthi festival at Big Temple in Thanjavur on Friday

People of Thanjavur district, particularly youth and students, witnessed the rarest of the rare celestial phenomenon- “Kankana Suryagrahanam”, or ring solar eclipse, on Friday.

They used special goggles and welder glass number four supplied by Birla Planetarium and Anna University to see the eclipse.

As the eclipse peaked at 1.30 p.m., there was a lot of enthusiasm.

“The sun looked like a crescent moon with the shadow of the moon covering most part of it,” said a student who witnessed the eclipse.

As a ring of fire was formed during the eclipse, it was called “Kankana Suryagrahanam”.

As it was happening after 103 years, it created a lot of curiosity among students. Trained teachers guided the students in viewing the eclipse.

Celebration of Mattu Pongal (Pongal and worship offered to cattle) has to be scheduled either between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m.. Temples remained closed from 10 a.m.to 4 p.m. The sanctum sanctorum of the Big temple here remained closed and the biggest Nandhi at the entrance was covered with screen till the eclipse was over. Pujas started after 4 p.m.

All Saivite and Vaishnavite temples and Navagraha Kshetras in the district remained closed during the eclipse.