The superstitions and tragedies surrounding the infamous Friday, the 13th

The superstitions and tragedies surrounding the infamous Friday, the 13th

Western tragedies and the inability of Indians to let go of superstitions has added 'Friday, the 13th' to its unending list of customs that go beyond logic.

testUpdated: Friday, September 13, 2019, 01:24 PM IST
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The saviour from evil eye, 'Nimbu Mirchi' | The Frametime/ Pinterest

It’s the infamous Friday the 13th today. Does it remind you of any tragic or horror stories? The ones that are told in circles at a gathering of friends or cousins, which may or may not involve intoxicating substances.

However, for many, the buzz around Friday the 13th does not restrict to a joke or two. It is a phobia that makes people miss or avoid scheduling important events on this day. The number 13 in itself is considered unlucky following various religious and cultural references. The several listicles on the tragedies related to the specific date and day floating on the internet also add to the fear.

Though, not supported by facts or scientific research, the list of events that have occurred on the popularly unlucky day and date does make for a good conspiracy theory. A few of the tragedies across the world around the combination of 13 and a Friday are:

Friday, 13th September 1940- The Buckingham Palace was hit by 5 German bombs.

Friday, 13th October 1972- The Uruguayan aeroplane crashed in a remote area of Andes. The survivors had to resort to cannibalism to live.

13 September 1996- The legendary American rapper, Tupac died.

Though largely it is a foreign concept, due to the superstitious nature that most of us adhere to, mild curiosity and fear of the date and days’ combination have seeped in the Indian context too.

Some of the superstitions people believe in and hence, follow certain measures to avoid the apparent unluckiness of Friday the 13th, and the number 13 in general are:

The 13th floor of buildings is deliberately isolated and reserved for storage spaces.

No matter how big the opportunity or event is if it's on the 13th, say no to it.

Spilling salt or breaking the glass on an already inauspicious day can bring along double the misfortune.

Which side of the line of belief do you fall in? So, take precautions, or not accordingly.

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