Monday 5 May 2008

Namaste or Handshake?

I happened to visit this article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25205-2004Dec24.html) through this post (http://satyameva-jayate.org/2008/05/02/namaste-handshake/). Author feels that shaking hands could be dangerous as it could pass germs and flu virus from one person to other. Author suggests that “The Hindu namaste greeting (a composite of the two words that means, roughly, I bend or incline toward you), for example, is simple, elegant and touchless: a slight bow with hands pressed at the palms near the heart.”

I always felt that Namaste is better than Handshake. But, in today’s world, handshake has become so common that if you don’t reciprocate it, you will be considered as uncultured or rude. More awareness should be created among people.

2 comments:

Agent M said...

Hi Suresh,
I agree with your point, but one can argue saying that a handshake is a lot more effective - since there's a sense of touch involved as well.

And I don't think these germs can cause many diseases - so does it really matter?

To each his/her own... Those who prefer handshake, let them. Those who prefer namaste, rock on!

I personally reserve both these expressions for appropriate situations - I shake with someone I know, or for formal occasions. I say namaste when I meet elders whom I do not know. Of course, this is my own version of the greeting :P

Suresh said...

@agent m,

I'm not sure how effective (rather destructive) the germs would be, but if the other person has not cleaned his/her hand (I dont want to explain in detail!) and give it forward for handshake, yeak! I'm not sure what it would be like! We can atleast follow one good suggestion given in the article. That is, cleaning our hands with soaps before we take any food.