Overview
- Live advisories confirm the lunar eclipse on March 3 runs from 3:20 pm to 6:46 pm IST, with the sutak period beginning at 6:20 am.
- Visibility is expected across India near moonrise around 6:26 pm, including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Imphal, Shillong, Kohima and Itanagar.
- Holika Dahan muhurat remains debated, with some pundits favoring March 3 evening after 6:46 pm due to bhadra on March 2, while others cite March 2, 6:22–8:53 pm as auspicious.
- Traditional guidance during sutak and grahan advises avoiding puja, auspicious ceremonies and cooking or eating, and calls for added care for pregnant women, the elderly and the ill.
- Coverage reiterates that the August 12, 2026 solar eclipse will not be visible from India, whereas August 2, 2027 will bring the century’s longest solar eclipse with partial visibility in parts of India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.