When two Americans meet each other, they will shake hands and say “HI”. It is the culture habituated to those people. When two Indians, 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 “ANJALI MUDHRA”, can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning. And they greet together with word “NAMASTHE”. The concept of shaking hands has been adopted by humans to convey to the opposite party that I do not have any arms concealed and am open handed and expect to befriend you. The concept of Namaste also means the same. Namaste makes a polite form of greeting. Whereas shaking hands and saying Hi is a normal greeting. “Hi” does not signify any respect to the person to whom we are talking. The word Namaste and these actions have a greater meaning than a formal Hi or Hello. Several sects of people follow this culture where as its root is from Sanskrit.

Formation and Usage

Two roots of this word are commonly said. The word Namaste there is made up of two Sanskrit words “NAMAH”: I bow, and “TE”: to you, totally makes the sense. "Respectfully I bow to You." Also common is a polite form using the imperative “astu” meaning "let there be": namo: stuthe literally meaning "let there be a salutation to you." 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. Namaste is one of the few Sanskrit words commonly recognized by Non-Hindi speakers. In the West, it is often used to indicate Indian Hindu culture in general. Namaste is particularly associated with aspects of Indian culture such as vegetarianism, yoga, Ayurveda, healing, and Indian religions such as Hinduism Buddhism and Jainism.

Meaning:

This simple word has several meanings given by different people and most of cases; the inner meaning of the word doesn’t change.

"I honor the Spirit in you which is also in Me."
"I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, WE ARE ONE.”
"I salute the God within you."
"Your spirit and my spirit are ONE."
"That which is of God in me greets that which is of God in you."
"The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.”
"All that is best and highest in me greets/salutes all that is best and highest in you."
"I greet the God within."
"The light in me sees the light in you"

Significance

Small problem with shaking hands:

Why this Namaste is being implemented as a part of culture from several years?

Several people say many traditions that are being implemented in Hinduism do have a lot of meaning. Most of people except people working with energies of bodies, can’t explain how “Namaste is considered as safer of both the methods”.

Each and every person has an energy level. When we shake hands with the other person, contact happens and it is a well known law of physics that energy distributes itself entirely over the surface when there is a contact. Imagine that you’re having an energy level of around 200 and I am at an energy level of around 100. When we shake hands, there is a contact between us and as a result our total energy becomes ~ 300 which would be distributed equally between the both of us. My energy level is increased to 150 and yours would be 150. So when we shake hands the chances are that our energy level varies as both the people may not have equal energies, one will gain and other loses some of their energy. When wishing a person with a Namaste there is no contact between you and the other person and your energy level remains constant.

Moreover; when a person greets Namaste shall bring both the palms of the hands in such a way that the thumb of one palm is positioned on the thumb of the other palm, the index finger on the index, the middle finger on the middle, the ring finger on the ring and the little finger on the little. This is a form of posture which energizes the body (according to yoga). There could be no greeting like Namaste which would puts both the receiver and giver a pleasant mood and the giver also in a pleasant moment.

Other Advantage

When we hold our hands together, with the palms touching each other focusing them on chest and say "Namaste" we could greet him whole-heartedly. Some people bend a little to express their respect. Many elders respond to it either by nodding their heads or greeting the same way although they need not hold their hands essentially to respond to youngsters. We cannot go and shake hands with the person whom we revere or hold in high esteem, for example; Professor or Head of the institution where as we can offer our Namaste as a mark of respect to the same individual who will be acknowledging it appreciably rather than shaking hands. Namaste can be offered at any time of the day, at any place and at any moment at the time of meeting the individual or at the time of parting. Well That’s a brief introduction of Indian Tradition “Namaste”. Well, that’s all for now.

Atma Namaste