CHENNAI: With nine planets, 12 raashis and 27 nakshatras supposedly governing every individual’s life and, celebrities changing the names of their spellings based on numerology, it isn’t surprising that astrologers in the city dismiss the paranoia surrounding ‘Friday, the 13th’ as nothing but ‘mindless logic’.
Gopalan Kennedi, an online vedic astrologer says that ‘Friday the 13th’ has no relevance in Indian context.
“It wasn’t too long ago when the East had the power to influence the West with its esoteric findings discovered and invented primarily for the betterment of the mankind. But with changing times and development, the balance of power shifted,” he explains and adds that the Indian system of astrology is being undermined by modern concepts.
“Many things changed, including what majority of the people should actually believe in. So if someone doesn’t believe in the concept of Friday the 13th, he’s called a fool.”
Kennedi is also an avid blogger, Tarot reader and Vaasthu consultant. He says that the Indian astrologers always assess the days based on one of the 27 nakshatras .
“So in our context, the date or the day, really doesn’t matter! May be some day when India is completely developed, and becomes a superpower, we can call December 6th (Babri Masjid demolition) as an unholy day. But I’m sure that some Westerner would dismiss it as hogwash!”
Kaliyur Narayanan, another famous astrologer agrees and adds says that certain numbers and not just dates like 13 and 8, are looked upon as ‘inauspicious’. “This is nothing but blind superstition and just an excuse to postpone things. For example, the superstition associated with 8 – can you imagine someone getting his/her license without doing the formation of 8 during the test? Or would we have Ashtha Aishwaryams, or worship the Astha Lakshmi, Ashtha Vinayaks or for that matter even celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday on an Ashtami?” he says. “Even the number 13 — when you add up 1 and 3, you get 4, which deals with stability and has no ill-luck associated with it.”
There are many rumours like the world ‘coming to an end’ on May 21, 2011 and the idiosyncrasies associated with December 2012.
He dismisses them as blind superstitious hypes, an influence of western ideologies on the east, where these numbers do not mark any significance.
“Fridays are auspicious for weddings or pujas, because it holds significance for the planet Shukra or Venus — the guru of the asuras. As per the Hindu calendar or Panchangam, importance is given to thithis, rather than dates with regards to the western calendar!”