Astrologers her say the day does not portend bad luck according to the myth more prevalent in English, German and Portuguese-speaking cultures.
NEW DELHI: Just the mention of today’s date is enough to send shudders down the spines of some people, considering the evil connotations associated with Friday the 13th.
According to certain beliefs it is unlucky to stay in a hotel or a building with the number 13.
Some people defer important events like weddings to another day if it falls on a Friday. Computer hackers have previously unleashed destruction on the internet with viruses named after the day, spreading chaos worldwide.
“In Christianity, Friday 13th is considered to be unlucky because according to them it is on this day that a witch is born. And on this date itself Lucifer was forced to exit heaven,” says Gaurav Singhal “Mayank”, a Delhi astrologer quoting some historical facts associated with the date. “I don’t believe so much in superstitions, but am a little afraid that some car or truck might hit me while I am crossing the road or a terrorist might explode a bomb in the vehicle I am travelling in,” says Sonam Ahluwalia, a BSc student of Delhi University.
Indian astrologers however, beg to differ. They say that the day does not portend bad luck according to the myth more prevalent in English, German and Portuguese-speaking cultures around the globe.
They discard the notion of the inauspicious nature of this date, and seek to dismiss the mindset of people which they say is under the influence of western beliefs.
“The number 13 is a very auspicious date when we see it from the Hindi calendar. From the Indian context, it is considered to be one of the luckiest days. For example all the important events in the life of a person, be it celebration of a birth, the day for admissions to school or college, the first day of a job or even the date of marriage is associated with the number 13 in some way or the other,” says Singhal.
Adds Pandit Brij Narayan Sharma, president of Vedic Pragya Shodh Peeth, “Shukra (Venus) planet is associated with west direction. Therefore, western countries are more or less affected by it. Moreover, its effect on different people at different times can be different. As far as India is concerned, there is no point of any fear nor is it an inauspicious day for India.”
The Indian Rationalist Association on the other hand, dismisses what they say are unfounded beliefs. “It is absolutely a baseless belief. If we say it in other words, then it is simply superstition and nothing else,” says its president, Sanal Edamaruku.
“The calendar has itself undergone several changes since the time of its inception, at various phases of the civilization. So if we look at it the other way round then, it is mere calculations which do not have any scientific basis.”
He believes that the term originally gained currency when Britishers came to India and spread throughout the country during the colonial rule. “Colonialism is basically responsible for this type of superstition,” he says adding that before the British there is no suggestion of the existence of such a superstition here.
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