Namaste? Or not?

I have been wondering about the universality of 'Namaste' and the accompanying little bow... I believe it is a Hindu greeting and farewell, and I know that to a Muslim I should Salaam Alakeim (sp?) .. all very easy when people are dressed in Hindu or Muslim attire, and I don't know how I should greet a Sikh (but I can ask one!) - I know there are also many devout Christians in India, and then there are the Jains as well as a few jews....

In general, is Namaste the most polite greeting or farewell if one is not sure...or does it offend those who are not Hindu? If people are not dressed in a hijab or yarmulke - would they be offended by Namaste, or would it be better to just say 'Hello' in English even though I LOVE Namaste and wish it were our greeting here!!!! I love a greeting that contains some 'goodness'...: Please don't suggest I say G'day, I've never met an Australian who says it!

I don't think it will offend anyone, but others may advise better.

It's not impossible to be made fun of for all your namaste'ing btw. Don't overdo it, I can understand the fun when we don't know anything else to say. The jokes will usually be well-meant anyway. Hello & goodbye will be commonly understood (and you'll be followed around by gangs of children going Hello! Hello! to their unending delight).

It's salaam aleikum (peace be upon you) btw, I never used it in India I think. Wa' salaam is a common form (response really: and peace be upon you).

What's there to love about namaste btw? It's just a greeting (I bow to you).

The use of "Namaste" does not have religious overtones, and would not offend anybody.

It may amuse them, specially outside India, though.

And since you asked, As-Salaam Alaikum is a closer fit for a predominantly Muslim greeting... Peace to You.

for Sikhs, 'Wahe Guru' will provide for!

Jains? Jai Mahavir?

That's it - I know how to say it but not spell it! Didn't know it wasn't used in India though as my contact with Muslims here tends to be Malaysian and Middle Eastern - so what is the response to Wa'Salaam is it still Alaikum Salaam?

Well at least if I visit a Jain temple, and at the Golden Temple I'll be sure to use the correct greeting. Thanks!

Hm, maybe the Capt. will know, he was right about the correct full phrase btw (as-salaamu alaikum, take your spelling pick). The way I know it you can just say wa' salaam and the other will respond with the same, it seems to be a bit of an informal way to go about it. I'm sure Muslims would appreciate it if you're sure they are. Alaikum salaam doesn't make sense I think. (It's related however to Hebrew shalom aleichem, where the answer is aleichem shalom. I don't think this works in Arabic, but I may be wrong. I find something now about wa' alaykum as-salaam being the traditional response, hence the wa' salaam I suppose.)

Remember both it and namaste can be used as a greeting and a farewell.

The response to As Salaam.. is Wa Le Kum Salaam. (and to you too, is what I think it means, but somebody can correct me here)

There are many greetings in India used by different religions and cultures... Ram Ram, Jai Ram Ki Ji are two examples.

But, Namaste is kind of universal in India. Using some of the others outside a particular religious/cultural subset would be considered odd.

It's respectful without being socially divisive (unlike the Japanese hierarchy of bows and greetings) and to me - like Salaam Alaikum - it is a warm and friendly way to begin or end an encounter it expresses the possibility of deeper communication, a relationship forming, or not...

Namaste used formally will be with folded hands. The bow is not as essential as in say, Japan.

And Namaste is also a farewell greeting. It can also be used eg by radio or tv broadcasters as when closing a programme, or by politicians while closing a speech.

Watcha mate! will do fine.

Well, maybe not quite, but Hi, Hello, etc seem to have almost exclusively replaced the religious formal greetings these days.

My understanding of Namaste (Namaskaram in South) is that it is used to greet Hindu people, and that it means I recognise god is within you. Not sure about the bow? The gesture is the plaing of the palms together, fingers straight, pointing upwards.

.. or people whose religion you may not know, too. Namaste is much much more religion neutral than, say, Jai Ram Ji Ki, which is a Hindu greeting.

But there is so much intermingling of cultures in, say, a place like Lucknow that I have seen Hindus greeting each other starting with As Salaam... and in Hyderabad, a Hindu meeting a Muslim may do this too.. a way of being polite.

I guess Hello, or Hi seems just flat with no innate respect, warmth or welcome. Perhaps we should go back to the old flowery English "A good morrow to you kind Sir" " Hail fellow well met" and so on!

BTW I lied about no Australians saying G'Day - the (ever so charming ) way to greet your best friend, if you're a man, is to loudly proclaim 'G'Day you old Bastard' While pumping their hand and almost BUT NEVER ACTUALLY!!!!! embracing....

Watcha! (Oh how I hated that when I lived in London!)

That was my understanding too which was why I asked - and the palms together is what I meant by the 'bow' I know its not an actual bow... although...

When one is in the presence of a holy Hindu person should one turn it into a lower deeper kind of bow?

<lots a cross-posting!>

It's said to be a recognition of the common divine in us yes. That's all very lofty though, like the Capt. said I found people use it fairly casually in their daily affairs.

Interestingly, the Arab and Hebrew phrases are said to address the plural, even when speaking to a single person. This is likewise explained as greeting both the individual and the divine.