Since childhood, I have heard from my parents that we should not cut hair or nails on Saturdays. Also, you should not shave on this day. When asked why, they used to tell me that it brings bad luck as it brings the wrath of Planet Shani (Saturn) upon us. We lose money and peace of mind in our lives. Also, it reduces life by seven months. This belief is widespread among Hindus; 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 unsatisfied with the answer always try to find the 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 is of 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 mighty, and even the gods 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 cut hair and 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 their hair/nails on Sundays. Generally, a village used to have only one or two barbers. Therefore, the workload would be maximum on Sunday, and they could 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 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 upsets Lord Shani. 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 earn a lot and live a good life. Problems will always exist in our lives, whether you cut your hair on Saturday or not. It is our attitude that matters.

Ancient Hindus had excellent knowledge about planets and their effects on us. So we can’t rule out the possibility of some point in this thing. Therefore, 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.