The tradition of 'Namaste'

         Namaste is the traditional Indian way of greeting each other by placing the arms across the chest, palms joint as in prayers. It is a highly respected and polite gesture. The gesture of Namaste has its importance in yoga and prayers as well. Although it has its origin in India, Namaste is known worlwide and due to its global usage it has various interpretations in different parts of the world. It is a Sanskrit word whose literal translation is Namah (to bow) and te (to you) that is, 'The divine in me bows to the divine in you'. Due to cross culture and professional influence, the western handshake replaced the tradition.

        But due to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, it is extremely important for us to maintain a safe distance and at the same time be cautious not to come in contact with anyone. Handshakes can prove to be very risky during this situation. This is the time to ditch the regular 'handshake' way of greeting and adpot the formal and respectful 'Namaste'. This acts as a precautionary measure in order to avoid direct physical contact with others. 

        Namaste is admired as a spiritual sign in the vedas. It balances the positive and negative energy between the right and left hand. In the wake of the outbreak of the virus, Namaste has been used for the greeting purpose by political leaders across the world.