तोच चंद्रमा नभात

25th August 2023

तोच चंद्रमा नभात 

Of all the celestial bodies, humans have a strong affinity for the moon. Indian folklore and mythology are replete with references to our natural satellite. 

A young prabhu Ram would not sleep until his mother showed him the reflection of the moon in a pot of water, placed next to his bed. Hence the melding of the two names gave us ‘Ramchandra’. There are many popular fables involving Lord Shiv, Lord Ganesh, and Hanuman and the moon. 

On celluloid many men have serenaded fetching young women with songs which have the moon as their central theme. 

Those with a fatalistic outlook towards life give tremendous importance to the position of the moon in their horoscope. Its placement determines character and personality. Or so it is believed!

Indians have been following the lunar calendar for many centuries. This calendar depends on the waxing and waning of the moon and is deemed to be very accurate.

Moon’s gravitational pull produces tidal effects on large water bodies like oceans. These forces are instrumental for life to sustain on earth. Without this push and pull life, as we know it, would have been impossible to conceive.

It is presumed that the moon affects a person’s mood. A person with an imbalanced mind and incongruous behaviour is called a ‘lunatic’.

It is time we acknowledged our MOON as something more than just a pleasant and attractive feature of the sky! 

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Yesterday ISRO achieved something extraordinary. It has orchestrated the most economical lunar mission ever and has landed a rover on the moon! Established players like NASA and the European space agencies have acknowledged ISROs expertise. The glass ceiling has been broken.

ISRO has ignited a flame in the minds of young researchers in India through Chandrayaan 3.  Many would now consider space exploration as a career option. More importantly this mission can perhaps slow down the brain drain.

Scientists at ISRO have shown that erudition and tradition can work together. I hope this success will help develop a scientific temper in the minds of all Indians. 

Science goes beyond success and failure. It continues to evolve. What starts as a germ of an idea in a fertile mind unleashes powerful forces which pave way for new technologies. 

My heart swelled with pride when we watched the ‘Vikram landing’ live on YouTube on 23rd August. Chandrayaan 3 is much, much more than landing a rover on the moon. This mission has catapulted India in the big league. 

Atmanirbhar Bharat is finally finding its feet. Let us all hope and pray for a newer and bolder Bharat.