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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.