Chandra Grahanam, Lunar Eclipse, falls on January 31, 2018. It occurs on the 12^th day of Tamil month Thai, Wednesday. It starts from 6.04. pm and ends by 9.38 pm.

31-1-2018 Chandra Grahana time

Bangalore 18.15 -  21.38

Chennai   18.04  - 21.38

Mumbai   18.27 - 21.38

Calcutta    17.16  - 21.38

New Delhi 17.53 - 21.38

Dubai       18.01 - 20.08

Sydney, Australia  21.51 -  3.08, 1-2-2-018

New York (East coast) 5.51 AM  to  7.06 AM 

Dallas, Texas (Central USA) 4.51 AM to 7.24 AM

Los Angeles (west coast) 2.51 AM to 6.55 AM

Toronto, Ottawa, Canada 5.51 AM to 7.34 AM 

Tarpanam Time:

Grahana tarpanam should be done towards the end of Chandra grahanam. Those who perform tarpanam should bathe before and after tarpanam.

Sankalpa mantra for the Lunar Eclipse on 31-1-2018

 Hevilambinama samvathsare ,Utharayane , Hemantha rithou, Makara  mase , Shukla pakshe, adhya Pournamasyam   punya thidhou , Soumya vasara yukthayam, Pushya nakshatra yukthayam, shubhayoga, shubhaKarana evam guna viseshena, visishtayam asyam Pournamasyam  punya thidhou, Somoparaga  punya kale , uparaga sradham , thilatharpana roopena adhya karishye

(Pournami is up to 6.57 PM; afterwards Prathama, Pushya Nakshatra is up to 5.36 PM; afterwards Aslesha (Ayilya) nakshatra. Even people in India should change the thithi and nakshatra depending on the time they do tarpanam.) 

Nakshatras affected by Chandra Grahanam

Pusam

Punarpusam

Ayilyam

Kettai

Anusham

Purattathi

Uthirattathi

Visakam

Revathi

Those who are born in these Nakshatras and those who are born on Wednesday need to do pariharam for this Grahanam.

They should write the following sloka in a palm leaf and tie it to their forehead. After the eclipse, this palm leaf should be removed.

Then, they should give in charity one ash gourd, coconut and coin to a Brahmin.

ग्रहण पीडा परिहार श्लोक:

योसौ वज्रधरो देव: आदित्यानां प्रभुर्मत:।

सहस्रनयन: चन्द्र:  ग्रहपीडाम् व्यपोहतु।।

க்ரஹண பீடா பரிஹார ஸ்லோகம்

யோஸௌ வஜ்ரதரோ தேவ: ஆதித்யானாம் ப்ரபுர்மத: I

ஸஹஸ்ர நயனஸ்சந்த்ர:  க்ரஹபீடாம் வ்யபோஹது II

What is a lunar eclipse?

The Lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon line up in space, with Earth in the middle and Earth’s shadow falls on the moon.

Specialty of Lunar Eclipse that occurs on 31-1-2018

In January 2018, Pournami occurs twice. It happens after a century. It is a rare occasion and the Moon that is seen on such an occasion is called Blue Moon.

This year, the lunar eclipse that occurs on 31, January is a total eclipse for India and partly visible in North- Eastern States. Moon during this eclipse will look red and hence it is called blood moon.

Dos and Don’ts to be observed for this Chandra Grahanam

Food not to be taken from morning to evening.

Bath to be taken after the Grahanam ends and after taking a darshan of the Moon.

Eating, drinking and using needles are forbidden.

No divine worship to be undertaken at this time. No deepam to be lit during Grahanam time in the pooja room.

Those who perform tarpanam regularly will have to do it after 11.50 pm.

Pregnant women are advised to sit inside a closed room and not to come out from 5 pm to 8.50 pm.

During the Grahana period, doing Japam, chanting of mantras, slokas are very auspicious.

Taking bath in the river, ocean during Chandra Grahanam is also considered as sacred.