AstrologgerGrahan · Eclipse
Grahan 2027 — every eclipse, and which India will see
5 eclipses in 2027; 2 are classical grahan; 3 occur with the Sun or Moon above India’s horizon, but only 1 can be seen with the eye. Only the 2 August total solar eclipse (partial in India) is a grahan seen from India, so it alone carries Sutak.
Surya Grahan 2027: 6 Feb (annular, not visible in India) and 2 Aug (partial in India, Sutak). Chandra Grahan 2027: 21 Feb (penumbral, no Sutak), 18 Jul (penumbral, no Sutak) and 17 Aug (penumbral, no Sutak).
In Vedic astrology an eclipse (grahan) is read through Rahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes. Sutak Kaal, the observance window before and during an eclipse, applies only where a classical grahan is actually visible; a penumbral lunar eclipse, where the Moon only dims faintly, is not counted as a grahan. Dates are checked against DrikPanchang (New Delhi) where Drik has published them; rows marked “provisional” use NASA eclipse data until Drik confirms them.
Upcoming eclipses in 2027
| Date | Type | Visible in India | Sutak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annular solar | No | No | |
| Penumbral lunar | Penumbral only — not visible to the naked eye | No | |
| Penumbral lunar | Penumbral only — not visible to the naked eye — provisional | No | |
| Total solar (partial in India) | Yes — partial; Delhi ~3:53 – 5:02 PM — provisional | Yes | |
| Penumbral lunar | No | No |
Already passed
| Date | Type | Visible in India | Sutak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annular solar | No | No | |
| Total lunar | Yes — at moonrise; Delhi 6:26 – 6:46 PM | Yes — 9:39 AM – 6:46 PM (Delhi) | |
| Total solar | No | No | |
| Partial lunar | No | No |
2026 recap
2026 had 4 eclipses. Only one was a grahan seen from India: the total lunar eclipse of 3 March 2026. The total lunar eclipse of Phalguna Purnima was seen from India at moonrise: the total phase only in the east and north-east, the partial phase across most of the country (Delhi 6:26–6:46 PM). Sutak was observed (Delhi 9:39 AM–6:46 PM). The 17 February annular solar eclipse, 12 August total solar eclipse and 28 August partial lunar eclipse were not seen from India, so no Sutak applied to them here.
Grahan and pregnancy: what the custom says
Many families keep a few customs for expectant mothers during a visible grahan: resting indoors, setting aside knives and sharp tools, and spending the time in calm chanting or reading. This is a matter of custom and comfort rather than medical fact, and modern doctors see no harm in normal activity. Your doctor’s advice comes first; if your family keeps the custom, it can be followed gently, without worry. These customs apply only where a grahan is visible, and in 2027 that means only the 2 August total solar eclipse (partial in India). Whatever you follow, never look at the Sun during a solar eclipse without certified eclipse glasses.
What is Sutak Kaal?
Sutak is a period of ritual caution observed before an eclipse — traditionally about 9 hours before a lunar eclipse and 12 hours before a solar eclipse. During it, temple worship, cooking and new undertakings are often paused, while chanting and meditation are encouraged. Crucially, Sutak is observed only where the eclipse is visible: an eclipse not seen from your location carries no Sutak there. Always confirm exact timings against a current panchang for your city.
Rahu, Ketu and the story of the eclipse
The Vedic view of an eclipse comes from the Samudra Manthan — the churning of the ocean. When the demon Svarbhanu disguised himself to drink the nectar of immortality, the Sun and Moon exposed him, and Vishnu severed his head with the Sudarshana Chakra. Already immortal, his head became Rahu and his body Ketu. In revenge they periodically "swallow" the Sun and Moon — which is what an eclipse (grahan) is. Astronomically these are simply the two points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic; an eclipse can only occur near them, which is why Rahu and Ketu govern eclipses in jyotish.
What to do and avoid during a grahan
- Chant mantras, meditate or read scripture.
- Bathe before and after (where the eclipse is visible).
- Give charity (daan) after the eclipse ends.
- Starting new or auspicious work during Sutak.
- Cooking or eating during the eclipse (traditional).
- Temple worship and idol touching during Sutak.
These customs apply only where the eclipse is visible and are a matter of personal faith; they are not observed where the eclipse cannot be seen.
Types of eclipse
- Total solar eclipse — the Moon fully covers the Sun, briefly turning day to dusk along the path of totality.
- Partial solar eclipse — the Moon covers only part of the Sun’s disc.
- Annular solar eclipse — the Moon is too far to cover the Sun fully, leaving a bright "ring of fire".
- Total lunar eclipse — Earth’s shadow covers the whole Moon, which often glows copper-red (a "blood moon").
- Partial lunar eclipse — Earth’s shadow covers only part of the Moon.
- Penumbral lunar eclipse — the Moon passes through Earth’s faint outer shadow; a subtle dimming — no Sutak.
In Vedic practice, Sutak and the eclipse rituals apply to a visible total or partial eclipse, not to a penumbral lunar eclipse, which DrikPanchang and most panchangs do not count as a grahan.
Ask our AI astrologer — free — how an eclipse falls on your Moon sign and what to observe.
How an eclipse is read in a chart
An eclipse is felt most by the sign and house it falls in, and by anyone whose Moon sign (janma rashi) or ascendant is close to the eclipse degree. A solar eclipse is said to stress matters of the Sun — authority, father, vitality, government dealings — while a lunar eclipse stirs the mind, emotions, the mother and relationships. People with the eclipse on or opposite their natal Moon are advised to avoid big launches in that window and to favour reflection, chanting and charity instead. Because Rahu and Ketu govern the eclipse, it often coincides with the themes of their current transit through your houses. None of this is cause for alarm: an eclipse is a recurring natural event, and its astrological weight is read as a short, intense period of change rather than a fixed "bad day".
Related reading
Sutak precautions and who observes them
Where an eclipse is visible, the Sutak window is treated as a time of ritual purity. Temples close, idols are not touched, and cooked food is either avoided or protected — many households add tulsi (holy basil) leaves to stored food and water, and take a purifying bath once the eclipse ends. Children, the elderly and the unwell are generally exempt from fasting. Since none of this applies where the eclipse cannot be seen, the first thing to check for any grahan is whether it is visible from India at all — which the tables above show for every eclipse.
Frequently asked questions
When are the eclipses in 2027?
2027 has 5 eclipses: 6 February (annular solar eclipse, not visible in India), 21 February (penumbral lunar eclipse, penumbral — no Sutak), 18 July (penumbral lunar eclipse, penumbral — no Sutak), 2 August (total solar eclipse (partial in India), seen from India — Sutak applies) and 17 August (penumbral lunar eclipse, penumbral — no Sutak). Only the 2 August total solar eclipse (partial in India) is a grahan seen from India, so it alone carries Sutak.
Which 2026 eclipse was visible in India?
Only the total lunar eclipse of 3 March 2026. The total lunar eclipse of Phalguna Purnima was seen from India at moonrise: the total phase only in the east and north-east, the partial phase across most of the country (Delhi 6:26–6:46 PM). Sutak was observed (Delhi 9:39 AM–6:46 PM). The 17 February annular solar eclipse, 12 August total solar eclipse and 28 August partial lunar eclipse were not visible from India, so no Sutak applied to them here.
What is Sutak Kaal?
Sutak is a period of ritual caution before an eclipse — about 9 hours before a lunar eclipse and 12 hours before a solar eclipse. It is observed only where the eclipse is actually visible.
Is Sutak observed if the eclipse is not visible in India?
No. Sutak applies only where the eclipse is visible at your location. An eclipse not seen from India carries no Sutak here.
What should you do during a grahan?
Chanting, meditation and mantra recitation are encouraged; where the eclipse is visible, cooking, temple worship and new undertakings are traditionally paused.
Why do Rahu and Ketu cause eclipses?
Rahu and Ketu are the two points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the Sun’s path (the ecliptic). An eclipse can only happen when the Sun and Moon line up near these nodes, so in Vedic astrology the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu are said to "swallow" the luminaries — the mythological picture of an eclipse.
Are eclipse effects the same for everyone?
No. An eclipse is felt most by those whose Moon sign or ascendant is close to the eclipse degree, and by the house it falls in within your chart. For most people it is a short, intense period of change rather than a fixed bad omen. To know how a specific eclipse touches your chart, check it against your birth details.
Can you eat during an eclipse?
Where the eclipse is visible, tradition avoids cooking and eating during the eclipse and often adds tulsi leaves to stored food and water, with a purifying bath after. It is a matter of custom rather than medical necessity; children, the elderly and the unwell are exempt, and none of it applies where the eclipse is not visible.