The popular cause of an eclipse in the Kolába District, is the Girha, a minor deity which is said to wander through the sky and swallow the Sun and the Moon when they cross his path. [89] Besides the mythological story regarding the cause of an eclipse, the people of the Ratnágiri District also believe that the Girha throws his shadow on the sun and the moon, when he comes to demand his dues from them. [90] The Konkan villagers, on an eclipse day, strike barren trees with a pestle, [91] in order that they may bear fruits and flowers. A barren woman is also beaten with the same motive. Similarly many other superstitious beliefs are connected with an eclipse. Pregnant women are not allowed to see the eclipse of the sun or the moon, nor are they to engage in cutting, sewing, etc. as this is believed to be injurious to the child in the womb. [92] The eclipse time is supposed to be the most suitable to learn mantras or incantations. [93] The mantris also mutter incantations during an eclipse in a naked condition. [94] The people who believe that the eclipses are caused by the influence of the planets Ráhu and Ketu offer prayers to Ráhu on the lunar eclipse day and to Ketu on the solar eclipse day. [95] The planets and stars are worshipped by the Hindus. It is believed that a person who is to die within six months cannot see the polar star. From the movements of the planets past and future events of one's career are foretold by Bráhman and other astrologers. And as it is believed that man's good and bad luck are dependant upon the influence of the planets, offerings of various kinds are made and sacrifices performed for securing the favour of the Navagrahas or the nine planets. In order to avert the effect of the evil influence of certain planets people sometimes wear rings of those precious stones which are supposed to be the favourites of the planets. The rain-bow is called Indra dhanushya or the Indra's bow, and it is believed that if the rain-bow appears in the east, it indicates the coming of more rain, and if it appears in the west it is a sure sign of the close of the monsoon. The milky way is believed to be the heavenly Ganges. Well known tradition relates how Wáman (the 5th incarnation of Vishnu) went to Bali the king of the lower regions and asked him to give him land measuring three feet only. The king consented, whereupon the god Wáman enlarged his body to such an extent that by his one footstep he occupied the whole earth and by the second he occupied heaven. Upon this the god Brahma worshipped the foot of the god Vishnu which was in heaven, and from that foot sprang the heavenly Ganges which flows in heaven and is called Dudha Ganga or the milky Ganges.