By Rohana Aryaratna Courtesy Ceylon Today

Why is number 13 considered unlucky?

Some believe number 13 is unlucky and it could bring bad luck. Some people avoid inviting 13 guests for a dinner or a party or any other gathering, as 13 is often associated with the term ‘unlucky.’

Many buildings don’t have a 13th floor, and people do not intend getting married or purchasing a new house on the 13th day of the month.

Most of us believe 13 to be unlucky, due to the reference to the Last Supper that Jesus Christ had with his disciples. There were 13 disciples and one of them – Judas Iscariot – betrayed Jesus to the Romans. Judas was the 13th to sit at the table.

Number 13 is also considered as a karmic number by the Hindus, as they believe 13 has great power, and is linked to upheaval. They believe if this power is used for selfish purposes, it will bring destruction and calamity.

There are several instances where number 13 has brought bad luck and failures, and those incidents have helped to strengthen the bad luck theory.

Now, we Sri Lankans too are confronted with this dreaded number in the form of 13 demands forwarded by six Tamil political parties.

With the approaching Presidential Election, the 13 demands by the Tamil parties seem to have created a sense of uncertainty and confusion among the main contenders, as well as the voters. Especially, the Sinhala-Buddhist and Christian voters, the majority in the Island, seem to be very much concerned about the reactions and responses these contenders will be giving to these 13 demands.

Their apprehension is due to the fact that these demands are linked with the suffering they had to endure for 30 long years, the horrors of death lurking behind them, and the fear of the loss of the motherland, because of the dreaded war perpetrated by the LTTE. 

It must be mentioned that Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Opposition Leader and mentor of one of the main contenders, has completely rejected the 13 demands.

Why are these 13 demands so important? Who is really interested in granting these demands and why? In other words, who is counting on the Tamil vote, to gain victory, and why?

Answers to all these questions seem to be connected with the various opinion polls that, it is said, have predicted a massive victory for the contender whose party has already fully rejected the dreaded 13.

Why is the so-called young and active contender silent about his response? Why is he letting his backers hint about getting the support of the Tamil voters? His backers too have showed their apprehension of the 13 demands in a vicarious manner.

The Tamil votes are vitally important for him, as he seems to be uncertain about getting the Sinhala-Buddhist and Christian votes, which represents the majority in the Island.

As the belief emphasises, the number 13 is synonymous with bad luck, hence these 13 demands too will bring destruction, mayhem and failure, if they are accepted for selfish purposes.

The separatist Eelamist project seems to be back on track with these 13 demands. With these 13 demands, they intend achieving the Eelam which Prabhakaran failed to achieve by waging a cruel war for 30-long years, and the destruction of thousands of valuable human lives and property.

In the name of so-called ‘reconciliation’ or, shall we say with the selfish intention of winning the Presidential Election, if someone accepts the tragic 13 demands, he or she will be branded as another Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Mother Lanka.

In other words, if the 13 are accepted and approved, it will bring back the upheavals and destruction that enveloped the pearl of the Indian Ocean for 30 years.