Tonight will be the longest night of the year. Read here to find out why
First Published: 22nd December, 2023 17:50 IST
In ancient times the winter solstice was seen as the day of death and rebirth of the Sun God
“You and I caught in a fading light, on the longest night” sang the Bee Gees. Today India will experience the longest night of the year with the onset of the winter solstice. The winter solstice occurs when the Earth is furthest from the sun.
In India the solstice will occur at 8.57 p.m.
Winter solstice is associated with many myths and legends, dating as far back as the Neolithic age. During the dawn of human civilization people were economically dependent on the progress of seasons, the winter solstice period was the only time when plenty of meat was available.
In ancient times it was also seen as the day of death and rebirth of the Sun God.
Monuments like Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland seem to have been carefully aligned on a sight-line pointing to the winter solstice sunrise (Newgrange) and the winter solstice sunset (Stonehenge).
In ancient Rome, the date of the winter solstice was fixed at December 25, when in 274 AD the emperor Aurelian established the festival Dies Natalis Solis Invicti or The Invincible Sun.
According to Egyptian myths, Horus, the falcon-headed God and son of Godess ISIS was born on the day of the winter solstice.
Although the winter solstice has lost most of its significance today with the advent of science still it has always been a day celebrating the importance of the sun and moon in our lives.
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