Since my childhood, I have been hearing from my parents that we should not cut hair or nails on Saturdays. You should not shave also on this day. When asked why they used to tell me that it brings bad luck as it brings anger of Planet Shani (Saturn) upon us. We lose money and peace of mind in our life. It is believed that cutting or trimming hair on Saturday reduces life by seven months. This belief is very common among Hindus, and hence, most Hindus do not cut hair or nails on Saturday.
The answer seems reasonable for those who believe in Astrology and do not like to question the traditions. Those who are not satisfied with the answer always try to find the actual scientific reasons behind such things.
Possible reasons behind not cutting hair on Saturdays:
1. It is believed that cutting hair/nails would bring bad luck to the person because it would attract the anger of Planet Shani, which is considered a deity. In Indian Astrology, Shani has great importance in terms of human life. It is believed that all the bad things that happen to us are because of Planet Shani. Especially, in Kali Yuga, Shani is very powerful and even deities have to suffer from his anger. Hence, one should not get his/her hair/nails cut on Saturdays.
2. The second most probable and logical reason could be that in old times, the people from the barber caste used to do the job of cutting hair and they had no weekly off. Hence, in that way, they used to get a weekly off on Saturday. Plus, many people in India prefer to cut hair/nails on Sundays. In general, there used to be only one or two barbers in a village. Therefore, on Sunday the workload would be maximum and therefore, they were able to relax and prepare themselves for the rest of the week.
3. Another possible reason behind not cutting hair/nails on Saturday is that our hair and nails grow daily. Therefore, they are considered as living parts of our body, although modern science doesn’t think so. Hence, when we cut a living part of our body, it is a sin and that is why Lord Shani gets angry with the person who does so.
Not only Saturdays but some Hindus believe it is bad to cut hair/nails on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and other auspicious days like Ekadashi, Chaturthi, important festivals also. I think this (point no. 3) is the most logical reason behind it.
Why Does Lord Shani Get Upset If We Do These Activities on Sunday?
Per some beliefs, it is the spilling of blood that makes Lord Shani upset. In the olden times, instruments used for shaving or cutting nails were not as advanced as they are today. Many people preferred to shave their heads. Therefore, cutting and bleeding were common during these activities. Even nowadays, these things happen but less frequently. Lord Shani does not like spilling blood on his favorite day, i.e., Saturday. Therefore, he gets upset with the person who does these activities on Saturday. For the same reason, eating non-veg food is also prohibited on this day.
There could be many other reasons behind it. We cannot tell anything certainly today. I have seen many people cutting their hair and/or nails on Saturday and nothing bad happens in their lives. Many businessmen and executives have to shave every day; still, they are earning heavily and living a good life. Problems will always be there in our lives whether you cut your hair on Saturday or not. It is our attitude that matters.
Ancient Hindus had very good knowledge about planets and their effects on us. So we can’t rule out the possibility that there could be some point in this thing. Therefore according to me, we should take a cautious approach toward this thing. If possible try to avoid cutting hair/nails on Saturdays, but if there is very important work when you have to cut your hair/nails, like an interview or business meeting, etc., we should go ahead with it.
