5 stunning places to watch July 27 Lunar Eclipse in India

Today, we will have the longest total lunar eclipse of the century. It will be lasting for an estimated 103 minutes and marks an event that happens once every 25000 years! It is also expected to have tinges of red, a blood moon if you are searching for the right term. So yes, there is no missing this one. If you are in India and wish to have a date with this lunar eclipse, we have you covered with our line-up of five perfect places to watch it.

1. Leh Palace, Ladakh This is the highest you can get to while in the Himalayan city of Leh, Jammu & Kashmir. While heavy rains are lashing most of the country, Leh is a rain shadow region and is expected to be not clouded at all. When in Leh, hop over to Leh Palace; it is hardly a walk of 15 minutes from the city centre and you can even drive up to the place. Do not forget to take your camera along, for this is perhaps the biggest sky spectacle for some decades now.

2. Qutab Minar, Delhi
The capital city of Delhi is quite congested, which brings a lot of light noise to it. Plus, heavy rains have been lashing Delhi for almost a week now. Let us hope that the night of July 27 gets us a clear sky and let us enjoy this mammoth event. If in Delhi, visit the Qutab Minar Complex to watch this eclipse. Its surrounding area is plain, and has no high-rise buildings around, making it a perfect spot.
3. Pangong Tso, Ladakh
Well, there is no skipping this one. If you are in Ladakh and are eager for a more interesting location than Leh Palace, drive over to Pangong Tso. Train your camera well, and set it up. At Pangong, even a regular moonrise can take your breath away for the lake water turns a shining blue, which leaves us with no doubt about it being the best place to watch this lunar eclipse from.

4. Dhankar or Ki Monastery, Spiti Another Himalayan region that is known for its clear skies, Spiti is a great place to watch the lunar eclipse from. If you, by luck, are on a tour of Spiti, head over to Ki Monastery or the one at Dhankar for a vantage point. The village of Komic is also an ideal option, for it is more secluded than the monasteries and has little light noise. Our word is to forget taking your camera this time, this lunar eclipse will make for a sight that is best seen without any distraction.

5. Nahargarh Fort or Jal Mahal, Jaipur
While both the places shut down for visitors at 5 in the evening, its periphery is not gated. Go for a spectacular drive that leads to the place, and you will get to one of the highest points in the Pink City. If rains spare Jaipur for the night, you are bound to have gorgeous, uninterrupted views of this lunar eclipse from here. The ramparts overlooking Jal Mahal in the city are also perfect to watch over the phenomenon.

The lunar eclipse of July 27, 2018, is estimated to start at around 11:54 PM, leading to a total eclipse at around 1 AM. Referred to as Chandra Grahan in Hindi, a lunar eclipse is quite safe to watch with naked eyes unlike a solar eclipse.