The Sindh government has announced public holidays for the Hindu community to celebrate the Holi festival. According to a notification released by the Department of Services and General Administration, Hindu employees will be granted holidays on March 13 and 14, which fall on Thursday and Friday.

These two-day holidays will apply to all government, semi-government, and council offices, enabling members of the Hindu community to enjoy the festival of colors with their families and friends. The Sindh government emphasized its commitment to honoring cultural and religious traditions within the region. This move aims to allow the Hindu community to fully engage in the festivities of Holi, a major Hindu festival that marks the arrival of spring and signifies the triumph of good over evil.

The first total lunar eclipse of 2025 is set to occur on March 14 (Friday), as announced by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). This celestial event, often referred to as a “Blood Moon,” will be observable from regions including Europe, most of Asia, Australia, Africa, North and South America, as well as the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Antarctica. Unfortunately, the eclipse, known as “Chand Grahan” in Urdu, will not be visible in Pakistan, meaning residents of the country will miss the opportunity to witness it.

The PMD provided the following timeline for the eclipse: the penumbral phase will begin at 08:57 Pakistan Standard Time (PST), followed by the partial eclipse at 10:10. The total eclipse will commence at 11:26, reaching its peak at 11:59. The total phase will conclude at 12:31, with the partial eclipse ending at 13:48 and the penumbral phase wrapping up at 15:00.

NASA explains that a lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in such a way that the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon enters the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra, causing it to take on a reddish-orange hue. This phenomenon is why lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons.”

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