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| A diverse country with myriad languages and cultures, India boasts a range of traditional greetings. Amidst this diversity, there are a few standard greetings that hold widespread recognition… |
Ways to Say “Hello” in India
In a nationwide news article titled "I Understood the Power Of Namaste in Punjab: Aamir Khan" by TNN, Bollywood super producer and actor Aamir Khan shared his reflections while filming his new movie "Dangal" on the potency of one of India's most common greetings.
From an Islamic background, Aamir described his greeting as "raising my hand (gesturing again) and bowing my head." However, what captured headlines was the heartwarming experience of witnessing villagers lining up outside their homes from five o’clock in the morning to greet him with folded hands and 'Sat Sri Akaal,' which Aamir Khan described as “a wonderful emotion.”
A diverse country with myriad languages and cultures, India boasts a range of traditional greetings. Amidst this diversity, there are a few standard greetings that hold widespread recognition:
- Namaste: This is the most ubiquitous greeting in India, used across the country and understood in most languages. "Namaste" is formed by joining your hands in prayer position at chest level and slightly bowing your head as you say it. It translates to "I bow to the divine in you."
- Salaam: Predominantly used in Muslim communities, "Salaam" is an Arabic word that means "peace." It can be used on its own or as part of the more formal greeting, "As-salamu alaykum," meaning "Peace be upon you." When engaging with Muslims, remember to use your right hand for handshakes.
- Sat Shri Akal: This is a Punjabi greeting used predominantly in the state of Punjab and among Sikhs. It means "God is the ultimate truth."
- Vanakkam: This is a common greeting in the Tamil language, used predominantly in the state of Tamil Nadu and among Tamil-speaking populations. Similar to "Namaste," it involves holding your hands in prayer position as you say it.
- Namaskara/Namaskaram: This is a formal way of saying "Hello" in many South Indian languages like Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. The physical gesture is the same as for "Namaste".
- Indian women traditionally shake hands with foreign women but not with men, although this practice may vary among educated and contemporary Indian women.
- Western women can feel comfortable shaking hands with Indian women or Western-oriented Indian men, but they may want to avoid this gesture with traditional Indian men.
- English is widely spoken in India, especially in urban areas and among the younger and educated populations. So, "Hello," "Hi, How Are You?" are also commonly used.
For many years, Etiquipedia contributor, Elizabeth Soos, has had a keen interest in cultural customs. With her European background and extensive travel, Soos developed an interest in the many forms of respect and cultural expectations in the countries she has visited. With her 20 years’ experience in customer service within private international companies based in Australia, and her lifetime interest in manners and research, she decided to branch out into the field of etiquette and deportment. Through her self-directed studies and by completing the Train-The-Trainer’s course offered by Emma Dupont’s School of Etiquette in London and by Guillaume Rue de Bernadac at Academie de Bernadac based in Paris and Shanghai, she founded Auersmont School of Etiquette. Elizabeth is currently traveling throughout India and brushing up on her Hindi.
www.auersmont.com | +61 466 344 331 | auersmont@gmail.com
🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia © Etiquette Encyclopedia
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