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[Bianca]

Special flights



From Taregna, the solar eclipse should be visible for at least three minutes and 38 seconds, says a Nasa bulletin.

However, the maximum duration of the eclipse will be six minutes 38 seconds in the Pacific Ocean.

In India, the eclipse will commence soon after sunrise. Surat in Gujarat and Patna in Bihar are also expected to be excellent locations for good views.

The villagers have never seen anything like it.
 
Legend has it that it was at Taregna that India's famous astronomer and mathematician Aryabhatta studied stars and planets during the Vedic age.

"We do not wish to miss this rare opportunity, especially when people from across the country are thronging here to witness the eclipse," say school students Ranjit Kumar and Suraj Kumar.

Tour operators have also made special arrangements to cash in on the occasion

Some of them have chartered planes to fly in eclipse watchers from other cities.

One of the planes will have 21 seats facing the Sun ("Sun-side seats") and 21 seats facing the Earth ("Earth-side seats"), says a tour operator.

"Sun-side seats, which will have a direct view of the eclipse, cost about 79,000 rupees [$1,618]," he says.