Indians greet each other with namaste/ namaskara/namo namaha etc. with both the palms placed in anjali on the chest and the head slightly bent. This is a common greeting - people younger , of same age, older and even strangers.
Namaste can be a casual or formal greeting, a manner of expression of respect. The word is a Sanskrit word, and is split as namah + te = namaste. It means - I bow to you - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you.
The meeting between people is complete and successful only when there is convergence
of ideas. The converging fingers neat the heart is an indication of this meeting of the minds.
The bowing down of the head is a gracious form of offering salutations without any tinge of arrogance of self- upmanship. This act also extends friendship, love and humility.
The spiritual significance is even greater. The divinity, the Self or the Lord in every being is the same and is present in all. Recognizing this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we salute with head bowed the Divinity in the person we meet.
This is the reason why at most times the namaskara is often accompanied by words like “Radhey Shyam”, “Radhe Radhe”, “Hari Om”, “Ram Ram”, “Jai Shri Krishna”, etc - indicating the recognition of this divinity.
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