Festival of the Dark Suns
Every 798 days (two and a half Nephiglo years), the two suns of the Ponitis System, as viewed by Nephiglo, are blocked by their neighbouring planet Azpal. This astronomical event has many different myths associated with it, and is marked in various ways across the planet. For the Inggerai people, it is celebrated as the Festival of the Dark Suns. It is one of the biggest events in their calendar.
The Inggerai originally believed that the eclipse was a punishment by the god Zaaln, as "he" (eventually revealed to be the planet Azpal) blocked out their source of light and heat. Many rituals designed to appease him were performed during the eclipse. Though Nephiglo's astronomical discoveries eventually put an end to the old religion, many of the old rituals were kept and/or adapted to modern times. Instead of atonement rituals, they became a celebration of their people's history, and over time also became associated with new beliefs.
Music and dance play a large role in Inggerai festivals, and huge, elaborate co-ordinated spectacles are performed for hours. Originally meant to be performed for the gods alone, as the old beliefs were abandoned, small audiences started to be permitted. Celebrations also involve public feasts, which adhere to the old food preparation rules. A notable dish traditionally served at the festival is torru, an Inggerai delicacy which is very popular with tourists and the regional ingredients are in huge demand for exportation worldwide. All of these rituals take weeks to prepare for, and the ten days leading up to the official start of the festival are also public holidays to allow preparation time.
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