Namaste in Covid times

COVID-19 has brought the focus back on Indian culture. As I do my morning walk, donning a mask, I greet with a namaste other walkers, safai karamcharis, security guards and gardeners on duty. They reciprocate the greeting with folded hands. Even the horse-riding policemen acknowledge my gesture. Couples or singles, men or women, smile and bow to receive and return my namaste, perhaps due to my advanced age. This gives me an opportunity to gently remind them in case they are not wearing masks.

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A sincere namaste is a very powerful sign, especially during the pandemic, a reminder of social distancing and generally of the Covid protocol. The gesture is made by bringing together the palms of both hands near the heart and slightly bowing the head, signifying, “I bow before the divine in you”.

Namaste is composed of two Sanskrit words, namah and te. Te means you and namah is a connotation of bend, bow and incline. Namaste or namaskar, both similar, are signs of respect for the other. It is secular, spiritual and an equaliser — no difference between people, colour, caste, creed, gender and age.

India is a highly diverse country. Understandably, namaste is spoken differently in various languages. In Telugu, it is namaskaramulu; in Kannada, namaskara; vanakkam in Tamil; and namaskaram in Malayalam. In the eastern region, it is nomoshkar. Sikhs greet with Sat Sri Akal. However, we have accepted the handshake as the modern and international symbol of greeting, particularly those of us who are educated and westernised. ‘Hi/hello’ is informal; namaste is more dignified and has a deep meaning.

Japan’s Dr Hiroji Mukasa, world president of Rotary International, once visited India in 1983. He had severe arthritis in his hands and it was difficult and painful for him to shake hands with people. Since he was being attended by me, I advised him to greet in the Indian way with folded hands. He liked this idea, but people, in their overenthusiasm, exchanged namaste and also shook hands. Hiroji told me, “Raja, your idea was great but it made me greet people twice.”

Covid has shaken up the modern way of life. Namaste has gained popularity and caught the attention of the world as a practical, safe and hygienic way of greeting people. In the 2007 movie Namastey London, Akshay Kumar tells a large English social gathering that namaste is a symbol of the 5,000-year-old Indian culture. So, in closing, let me say, Namaste India.