It’s Friday the 13th! Spooked? Or all set to party?

It’s Friday and it’s the 13th! So, what’s all the fuss about this day-date pair? Friday the 13th is believed to be an unlucky day that is bound to spell misfortune or disaster. Fear of the number 13 has a specifically recognized phobia, that is hard to pronounce, called Triskaidekaphobia - a word coined in 1911. It is also a reason for the fear of Friday the 13th, that is even more harder to spell and pronounce, called paraskevidekatriaphobia.

But why is this such a dreadful day? Well, there are numerous theories and stories ascribed to the origin of this phenomenon. The most popular one being the appearance of 13th guest Judas Iscariot at Last Supper, who later betrayed Jesus Christ, also coupled with the fact that Christ was crucified on a Friday. Many now believe that if 13 people share a meal together at a table, one of them will perish within a year. Then there is the story of the legendary warriors – the Knights Templar, whose mass execution began on a fateful Friday of October 13, 1307. They were coerced into making false confessions, brutally tortured and framed with charges of heresy, homosexuality, fraud and corruption which finally brought their downfall and wiped off their glory.

Image by minorthreadsco from Pixabay

A few others associate the fear of unknown to the missing 13th rule in the Code of Hammurabi – an ancient legal document of the Babylonian dynasty, which, in reality seems to have been a clerical error of omission. Then comes the theory of totality, according to which the number 12 is perfect, complete and total. The Gods of Olympus were 12 in number, most calendars have 12 months in a year, there are 12 hours in a clock, 12 signs in the Zodiac and there are 12 apostles of Jesus. Therefore 13, which follows a perfect number ought to be unlucky, unusual and a harbinger of bad omen. Other popular views include those that attribute the fear to the fact that in ancient days, witches’ coven usually had 13 members and that traditionally there were 13 steps that led to the gallows. All of these may sound strange, unscientific and bizarre, but they still remain widely prevalent, so much so that many people even fear getting out of bed on Friday, the 13th. It is estimated that 10% of US population suffers from this phobia and that this irrational fear results in financial losses to the tune of nearly $1B annually, as people avoid marrying, traveling, shopping or even working on this day.

By and large, this is mostly a western concept and not so much popular in Eastern world. For example, in Thailand, the new year is celebrated on the 13th of April and is considered a very auspicious day. Even a few European countries regard 13 as a lucky number. For the Greeks, 13 symbolizes divinity and power and represents Zeus, the thirteenth and most powerful God. In Italy, number 13 is associated with Goddess of fertility and lunar cycles and therefore considered lucky. Closer home, according to the Hindu calendar, 13th day is called Trayodashi and is considered sacred especially for devotees of Lord Shiva. Maha Shivarathri, the nation-wide festival that is observed to celebrate the grace of Lord Shiva, falls on the 13th night of pen-ultimate month of the Hindu calendar. Dhanteras, another auspicious day that signifies wealth, prosperity and good luck also falls on the 13th day of Hindu calendar month of Karthik and marks the beginning of 5-days long Diwali festival.

So, are you also gripped by the Fear of Friday the 13th? Or are you going to say TGIF and head out for a bubbly pre-I-Day party? As for me, it’s just another day and BAU. Beyond that, I’m going to dabble in some traditional festive fare to satiate the foodie in me (it’s Nagapanchami and back in my home town, we prepare a platter full of steam-cooked sweet and spicy delicacies) and then catch the latest biopic of Kargil war hero in action and bask in the spirit of patriotism. (It's the season's flavour anyway) And yes, iPhone’s next series slated to hit the market next month will be numbered 13. Like many of its predecessors, it will launch on a Friday (the usual convention with Apple)! It’s logic over superstition (thankfully), despite the fear of 13 ruling high in Apple’s home market!