Itching Palms

My informant told me about a popular belief in India where if your palms are itchy then that means that someone is thinking about you. She first heard about this belief when she was in 8^th grade. She really doesn’t think it is true but whenever her palms itch she has a premonition or thought that someone in her family from back home is missing her or is thinking about her. She said that she has also heard many variants and versions of this belief.

She has heard that if your mom itch that it means you have money coming you’re way, in the form of income or gifts. She heard this version from her friends in college when she was 19 years old. She also stated that she really doesn’t think this is true, money comes to you because you work hard or it is your birthday.

She has also heard a variant of this belief where if you are hiccupping a lot that means that someone in you’re family is thinking about your or missing you. This belief she heard recently from one of her friends, who also happens to be Indian.

I think these beliefs once again are just mere beliefs and don’t mean anything in real life. In a sort of way I think these are just things that are you in your head and think about it when that specific incident happens, such as palms itching or hiccupping. Many of these beliefs are passed on generation by generation and act like a family heirloom for each family. Each family probably has some kind of belief that only their family associates with, and this one is what my family is in association with among many others. Itchy palms might mean nothing to some families but in my family it means that someone is missing you dearly.