Namaste -The Greeting from Heart
You must have heard this word many times. therefore under and learn by heart before planning to come in India.
Namaste as a greeting in India
Namaste is a common greeting in India. Young and old use this salutation when they meet as well as while bidding goodbye. Usually, young greets the older people with Namaste. As a foreign tourist visiting India, you can greet anyone with Namaste and a sweet smile. It can never go wrong!
History of Namaste
The history of the gesture dates back to several thousands of years. “Namaste” or Namaskar has been mentioned in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, the important Hindu text book. The term has been borrowed from Sanskrit. “Namah” means bow, obeisance or veneration and “te” means you. In short, Namaste stands for I bow down to you. If you delve deeper into the meaning, the word along with the gesture means
Namaste Not Only In India
Namaste is also accompanied by a gesture. The hands are pressed together and placed near your chest with palms touching and fingers pointed upwards. Also, you bow down a little. Sometimes, only the gesture itself without any said words is sufficient as a greeting.
it is spoken in nearby countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and some other south and southeastern parts of Asia as well. This respectful gesture of greeting people in the Hindu custom has different spiritual meanings and significance you should know about.
Namaste, Without Physical Contact
Namaste, the gesture is used to welcome guests or relatives, as well as for acknowledging strangers, and works both as salutation and valediction. The gesture is said to express honor, courtesy, politeness, hospitality and gratitude to the other person. Namaste is a no-touch way of greeting and it has a logical reason too. It is also believed that by folding our hands together, we keep our energy protected as opposed to absorbing the other person’s energy (which is usually in the case of handshakes and hugs). As there is no physical contact, the ability for one person to affect another negatively is minimized. In fact, it is well known that the mudras (gestures) in yoga had a specific science behind them.
Other forms of greetings without physical contact
Well, Namaste is not the only contact-less gesture in the world. From the Wai in Thailand to Bowing in Japan, many countries follow these gestures as a form of greeting. Here are a few of them.
· Salaam of Islam
This is quite common in India as well. The traditional Islamic greeting of “as-salaam `alaikum” (peace be with you) with a hand gesture does not require physical contact. The greeting reflects the idea of a sacred greeting when a person meets another.
· Wai in Thailand
This gesture of greeting shows the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism in Thai culture. Wai is the standard greeting across Thailand which involves a gentle bow of the head with one’s hand pressed together in front. This greeting depicts people to be open and peaceful. The Thai Wai is also used in dance performances, apologies and others.
· Japanese Ojigi (bowing)
Bowing in Japan was introduced in the seventh century as a form of reverence or obeisance and was the exclusive practice of Japanese nobility. Now, it is the most recognized form of nonverbal greeting. Well, the Japanese bow has gradually evolved from the olden days to the modern bow of today.
