The first Surya Grahan or solar eclipse of 2020 will be taking place on June 21 this year aka today. The 'Ring of Fire' solar eclipse is when the sun is almost entirely covered by the shadow of the moon leaving the outside of the sun that the moon won't cover and will look to you like a fiery ring. However, if you are looking for the Surya Grahan 2020 sutak time in India, we have it for you in detail. At this point, the moon is farthest from the earth and it blocks much of the sun under its shadow. There is a specific time within the eclipse which is considered unauspicious called as the sutak kaal. Ahead of Surya Grahan on June 21, we tell you the sutak timings in India for the same. Solar Eclipse 2020 Date, Time & Other FAQs: From ‘What Is an Annular Solar Eclipse?’ to ‘Can We Sleep During Surya Grahan’ Most Asked Questions on June 21 Celestial Event Answered.

Surya Grahan Timings

Surya Grahan will begin on June 21  at 9.16 AM and go on till 3:04 PM in the afternoon. The maximum point of the eclipse will be in the afternoon at 12.10 PM. You can read up on the timings in different places within India here.

Surya Grahan Sutak Timings

The sutak timings begin almost half a day or 12 hours prior to the timings of the eclipse and end after 12 hours of the eclipse. So sutak timings for Surya Grahan of 2020 will be from June 20, 9.15 PM and end on June 21 after the end of the eclipse. It is believed that during these hours, no religious activities should be carried out. Some also believe to stay away from fire as it upsets the Fire God. So people cook in advance for the day and stay away from cooking gas or any other kind of fire device. Solar Eclipse 2020 Pregnancy Precautions: Will the Surya Grahan Harm the Baby? Should Pregnant Women Step out of the House? FAQs About the 'Ring of Fire' Expecting Mothers Should Know Of.

Many temples will be closed in the sutak kaal of the surya grahan. It is said that there are a lot of negative energies outside during this period so people are advised to stay inside, especially pregnant women. Many people are also told to take a bath after the end of surya grahan. These are just the prominent beliefs around the solar eclipse which have been followed since years.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 20, 2020 09:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).