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EveryParampara

Namaste

The greeting with palms together and a small bow.

A pattern drawn for this page, not a picture of Namaste.

Also: namaskar, namaskaram

Namaste is the common greeting of India and Nepal, said with the palms pressed together in front of the chest and a slight bow of the head. The word means I bow to you, and it is used for hello and goodbye, to guests, elders and strangers alike. Other languages use their own forms, such as namaskar in Hindi and Marathi and vanakkam in Tamil. The gesture, known as anjali mudra, is also found in Buddhist countries. It carries respect without touch, and is now widely used worldwide as a courteous alternative to a handshake.

Region: South Asia

See also

PujaWai

Find traditions that mention Namaste

The weekly EveryParampara

Every week: one tradition from somewhere new, what is being celebrated around the world this week, and one idea explained.