Namaste

This article is about the greeting. For other uses, see Namastey (disambiguation).

A Mohiniattam dancer making a namaste gesture

Namaste (Devanagari: नमस्ते; formal: Namaskar) is a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a salutation upon their parting. A non-contact form of salutation is traditionally preferred in India and Namaste is the most common form of such a salutation. In Nepal, younger persons usually initiate the exchange with their elders. Initiating the exchange is seen as a sign of respect in other hierarchical settings.

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. This gesture, called Añjali Mudrā (or Pranamasana), can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning.

Etymology

Namas is a Sanskrit term for "bow, obeisance , reverential salutation , adoration"; te is the second person singular pronoun in the dative.

Uses

In Sikh scripture Namaste, Namastung or Namastvung is referenced as salutation to the Primal being, the One God. The salutation is followed by an attribute respecting a quality of the creator of all religions, Akal.

In Nepalese culture, namaste is performed when a younger family member meets older relatives. It also varies depending upon social status and prestige. The person with lower status or prestige performs namaste first to show respect for the higher station the other person has achieved.

Namaste is also used as a friendly greeting in written communication, or generally between people when they meet. When used at funerals to greet the guests, the verbal part is usually omitted. When the hand position is higher, it usually means reverence and/or worship. The expression with hands placed on top of one's head is usually the sign of utmost reverence or respect. When the gesture is performed with hands in front of the chest, it is usually considered as aayushman.

The aayushman gesture is also a cultural symbol of Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan hospitality.

In Sindh, Pakistan, the añjali mudra, though extremely rare, is still maintained even by Sindhi Muslims .

The cabin crews of Air India, SriLankan Airlines —; and Air France, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic on their flights to India — use namaste to greet boarding and deplaning passengers and in other hospitality settings.

Meanings and interpretation

As it is most commonly used, namaste is roughly equivalent to "greetings" or "good day," in English. It can also mean, "I hope you feel better Pranali." As against shaking hands, kissing or embracing each other in other cultures, Namaste is a non-contact form of respectful greeting and can be used universally while meeting a person of different gender, age or social status.

Namaste is one of a small list of Sanskrit words commonly recognized by Non-Hindi speakers.

Namaskār (Devnagari/Hindi: नमस्कार) literally means "I bow to [your] form".

"The spirit in me respects the spirit in you," "the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you," and others, are relatively modern interpretations, based on literal translations of the Sanskrit root of namaste. They are usually associated with western Yoga and New Age movements.

See also

• Pranam

Further reading

• Chatterjee, Gautam. (2001). Sacred Hindu Symbols. pp. 47-48.

External links

• Omkar N Koul (2003-08-10). "Modes of Greetings in Kashmiri" (PDF). Indian Institute of Language Studies. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)