The second day of the waxing phase (shukla paksha) of the moon is always very difficult to see, but this time, as we were coming back from Bheemeshwari (Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary) last Saturday (the 24th of March), we came to the small village of Muthathi, and found the villagers standing around, pointing at the western sky. When I asked some of them, they took the trouble to explain that this moon, after the Kannada New Year,was considered an auspicious sighting. So I too took aim and sighted the dwitheeya, or the second day of Chandra:

It was quite tough to see the thin sliver at first, but as the sunlight faded from orange to purple to indigo, the beautiful crescent was easier to spot…but not easier to photograph! Here Chandra (this is one of the Indian names which is for both men and women!) is, showing the beauty of our nearest neighbour in space (vyOm), seen through the forest of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary:

Here is an entry

about the moon, where, about 4 years ago, I’d written:

The moon Sets so soon Over my city…. Perhaps she waxes and wanes From the energy she loses and gains She looks lovely at the full… When she draws up tides with her pull… So thin she looks now……a pity That she can’t always be a full moon. But we don’t have the boon Of making the most of ourselves, and being the best. We wax and wane, too….sometimes being more, sometimes less.