2021-02-02 Tue

Every year on 2nd February, Groundhog Day; is celebrated in North America; it is a tradition observed in the United States and Canada every year.

On 2nd February 1887, featuring a rodent meteorologist is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

There is a belief that if a Groundhog comes out from its hole on this day and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicting six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

Groundhogs are also called Wondchucks, and the scientific name of Groundhogs is Marmota monax.

Thousands of years ago, when animalism and nature worship was prevalent, People of Europe believed that badger had the power to predict the coming of spring. They watched badger know when to harvest the crops. By this time, the first German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they probably understood that this was not true, but the tradition continued. Later, there were not many badgers in Pennsylvania, so the Groundhogs were substituted for the badger. They followed the tradition that, if the groundhog sees the shadow; if the groundhogs see the shadow, frightened, and return to its burrow, it indicates that there will be; 6 more weeks of winter. If it does not see its shadow, then spring is on the way.

Image Courtesy: colnect.com