Namaste: the Indian greeting
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Palms joined at the heart and a slight bow: a greeting of respect that needs no touch.
Where: All of IndiaWhen: Every day
How it is performed
- Join both palms together in front of the chest, fingers pointing up (Anjali mudra).
- Bow the head slightly and say 'Namaste' or 'Namaskar'.
- For elders or teachers, the palms may be raised to the forehead, or one may touch their feet (charan sparsh) to seek blessings.
Significance
Namaste comes from Sanskrit namah (bow) and te (to you): 'I bow to you'. It honours the other person as an equal and was widely adopted around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic as a touch-free greeting.