There a lot of quirks that an Indian carries with himself throughout his life no matter if he lives abroad or in India. One of the most distinct traits that any Indian can identify with is the Namaste. The practice of greeting by cupping one’s palms in front of them and bowing. For a long time during the British rule this practice was quite ridiculed as it was considered as accepting the others as superior to us by bowing. But the meaning of Namaste is far away from that. Indians greet even complete strangers with a Namaste. The south Indian counterpart vanakam is also widely used. In several Indian schools, the practice of wishing teachers with Namaste is inculcated. The meaning of Namaste is the God/Goddess Spirit within me recognizes and honors the God/Goddess Spirit within you. Which embodies the idea that god is omnipotent. By bowing your head in respect, you reduce your ego before the other person. This was the original idea behind the Namaste. But centuries later this idea was corrupted as only people who are inferior bow to their superiors. But there are no superiors and inferiors in the eyes of god. We are all equal and mutual respect is the principle on which this society is built. The significance of the Namaste gesture can be realized by the fact that we use the same gesture while praying to god. Across gender, age and social status, Namaste is used by all to greet others.

Most of us are aware of mudras (hand gestures) on the human physique and psyche. There are mudras to help treat medical ailments and mental problems. The moment you place your hands together, your dualities, your likes and dislikes, your cravings and aversions, all these things are leveled out. There is a certain oneness to the expression of who you are. The energies are functioning as one.

There are asanas or yoga postures which have incorporated the Namaste pose in to it. The pranamasana or anjali mudras performed by pressing the palms of the hands together. The fingers are together with fingertips pointing up. The hands are pressed together firmly and evenly. In the most common form of anjali mudra, the hands are held at the heart chakra with thumbs resting lightly against the sternum. The gesture may also be performed at the Ajna or brow chakra with thumb tips resting against the “third eye” or at the crown chakra (above the head). In some yoga postures, the hands are placed in anjali mudra position to one side of the body or behind the back. Anjali mudra is normally accompanied by a slight bowing of the head.

‘Namaste’ can also be interpreted (roughly) as a way of saying “Not-myself to you”. It gives the sense of service and not working for personal motives.

Often Indians abroad have been criticized for not embracing the western practices in greeting people. As opposed to 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.

The practice of Namaste has been incorporated in even art forms. Classical dances such as bharathanatyam, kathakali, kuchipudi have several poses that involve the Namaste gesture.

We all come from the same source of life and we go back to it. And the practice of bowing to one another reminds us of this. No one single person is superior or inferior. We are all equals.

Often Namaste is used by students towards teachers. This is used as a sign of gratitude and respect towards the one that enlightens us. In Indian culture teachers or gurus are revered right next to god. As a sign of gratitude we greet teachers with a Namaste before and after the class. The western society is also following suit. The influence of yoga is quite evident abroad and event there the students greet their yoga teachers with Namaste.

Eyes are the windows to your soul and hands are where a person’s character lies.

If someone tied your hands you wouldn’t be able to communicate as good as you do now. Why that should happen when all you need to talk is your mouth. Our hands express more than our words. Often a good orator is not about just the choice of words but more about the connection established through the physical presence. The use of hands to greet has evolved a lot from handshakes to fist bumps but nothing beats the divinity that Namaste offers. It is recognition of god in the other person. To the Hindus, the real meeting between people includes a meeting of their minds. When they greet one another with Namaste, it also means, ‘may our minds meet’.

Not just Hinduism, other religions too emphasizes on this premise. “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him: male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NASB) there is divinity in all of us; it is up to us to recognize the spirit.

C.S. Lewis spoke to this point in “The Weight of Glory” in which he points out there is divine in all of us:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.”

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