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		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;reworked lead per standard format and corrected details&lt;/p&gt;
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		<title>ImportMaster at 16:08, 14 January 2022</title>
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;New page&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;{{for|the Better Call Saul episode|Namaste (Better Call Saul)}} &lt;br /&gt;
{{short description|Customary Hindu greeting}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Italic title}}{{Use Indian English|date=January 2022}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:An Oberoi Hotel employee doing Namaste, New Delhi.jpg|thumb|250px|Pressing hands together with a smile to greet &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; – a common cultural practice in India]]&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|ʌ|m|ə|s|t|eɪ}},&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite OED|namaste}}. The British pronunciation is either {{IPA|/ˈnaməsteɪ/}} or {{IPA|/naməˈsteɪ/}}, and the American is {{IPA|/ˈˌnɑməˈˌsteɪ/}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; [[Devanagari]]: नमस्ते, {{IPA-sa|nɐmɐst̪eː|Lang|Namaste_indian_pronounciation.ogg}}), sometimes spoken as &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaskar&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaskaram&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, is a [[Hindus|Hindu]]&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|title=How &amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039; Entered The English Language|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-history-of-namaste|access-date=2021-08-18|website=www.merriam-webster.com|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|date=2020-10-01|title=Why &amp;#039;namaste&amp;#039; has become the perfect pandemic greeting|url=https://religionnews.com/2020/10/01/why-namaste-has-become-the-perfect-pandemic-greeting/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Religion News Service|language=en-US}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|date=2020-03-23|title=Here’s the history behind these no-touch greetings|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/ways-people-around-world-say-hello-without-touching-coronavirus|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Travel|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; customary, non-contact form of  respectfully greeting and honoring the opposite person or group, used at any time of day.&amp;lt;ref name=kvsingh&amp;gt;{{cite book|author=K V Singh|title=Hindu Rites and Rituals: Origins and Meanings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uzoHCwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PT123|year=2015|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0143425106|pages=123–124|access-date=2017-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217193907/https://books.google.com/books?id=uzoHCwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PT123|archive-date=2019-12-17|url-status=live}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Today, it is found on the Indian subcontinent, [[Southeast Asia]], among the Indian [[diaspora]] and elsewhere. The gesture (but not the term &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; for it) is widely used as a [[greeting]] in the parts of [[Southeast Asia]] where [[Indian religions]] are strong.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=namaskAra&amp;amp;direction=SE&amp;amp;script=HK&amp;amp;link=yes&amp;amp;beginning=0 Sanskrit English Disctionary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823191849/http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=namaskAra&amp;amp;direction=SE&amp;amp;script=HK&amp;amp;link=yes&amp;amp;beginning=0 |date=2016-08-23 }} University of Koeln, Germany&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=jonesryan&amp;gt;Constance Jones and James D. Ryan, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Encyclopedia of Hinduism&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, {{ISBN|978-0-8160-5458-9}}, p. 302&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is usually spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest. This gesture is called &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;añjali mudrā&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;; the standing posture incorporating it is &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;pranamasana&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Citation | last = Chatterjee | first = Gautam | year = 2001 | publisher = Abhinav Publications | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NQ0XQHEkuIcC | title = Sacred Hindu Symbols | pages = 47–48 | isbn = 9788170173977 | access-date = 2017-12-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170111165355/https://books.google.com/books?id=NQ0XQHEkuIcC | archive-date = 2017-01-11 | url-status = live }}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Etymology, meaning and origins ==&lt;br /&gt;
{{multiple image&lt;br /&gt;
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| image1 = Kubera Namaste, 13th century Keshava temple Somanathpur.jpg&lt;br /&gt;
| width1 = 249&lt;br /&gt;
| alt1 = &lt;br /&gt;
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| image2 = A Namaste relief at Thirunelli Maha Vishnu temple Kerala India.jpg&lt;br /&gt;
| width2 = 140&lt;br /&gt;
| alt2 = &lt;br /&gt;
| caption2 = &lt;br /&gt;
| footer = &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Left&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;: Hindu god Kubera on the left with a person in Namaste pose (13th century [[Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura]], [[Karnataka, India]]). Namaste or [[Añjali Mudrā]] are common in historic Hindu temple reliefs.&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Right&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;: Entrance pillar relief ([[Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple]], [[Kerala]], India).&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namas&amp;#039;&amp;#039; + &amp;#039;&amp;#039;te&amp;#039;&amp;#039;) is derived from [[Sanskrit]] and is a combination of the word &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namas&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and the second person [[dative]] pronoun in its [[enclitic]] form, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Sanskrit pronouns and determiners#First- and second-person pronouns|te]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref name=fm&amp;gt;Thomas Burrow, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;The Sanskrit Language&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, pp. 263–268&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The word &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039; takes the [[sandhi]] form &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namas&amp;#039;&amp;#039; before the sound &amp;#039;&amp;#039;te&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref name=fn&amp;gt;Thomas Burrow, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;The Sanskrit Language&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, pp. 100–102&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://sanskritdictionary.org/namah Namah] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827185125/http://sanskritdictionary.org/namah |date=2014-08-27 }} Sanskrit Dictionary&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is found in the Vedic literature. &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namas-krita&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and related terms appear in the Hindu scripture &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Rigveda]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039; such as in the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Vivaha Sukta&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, verse 10.85.22&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;&amp;quot;उदीर्ष्वातो विश्वावसो &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;नमसेळा महे त्वा&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; । अन्यामिच्छ प्रफर्व्यं सं जायां पत्या सृज [https://sa.wikisource.org/s/139l ॥२२॥], Griffith translates it as, &amp;quot;Rise up from hence, Visvavasu, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;with reverence we worship thee&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;. Seek thou another willing maid, and with her husband leave the bride; [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Rig_Veda/Mandala_10/Hymn_85 RV, Griffith, Wikisource] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105034457/https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Rig_Veda/Mandala_10/Hymn_85 |date=2020-01-05 }}; other instances include RV 9.11.6 and many other Vedic texts; for a detailed list, see Maurice Bloomfield, [https://archive.org/stream/vedicconcordance00bloouoft#page/532/mode/2up Vedic Concordance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331215229/https://archive.org/stream/vedicconcordance00bloouoft#page/532/mode/2up |date=2019-03-31 }}, Harvard University Press&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; in the sense of &amp;quot;worship, adore&amp;quot;, while &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaskara&amp;#039;&amp;#039; appears in the sense of &amp;quot;exclamatory adoration, homage, salutation and worship&amp;quot; in the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Atharvaveda]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Taittiriya Samhita&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, and the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Aitareya Brahmana&amp;#039;&amp;#039;. It is an expression of veneration, worship, reverence, an &amp;quot;offering of homage&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;adoration&amp;quot; in the Vedic literature and post-Vedic texts such as the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Mahabharata&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Monier Monier-Williams, [http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2014/web/webtc/servepdf.php?page=528 Sanskrit-English Dictionary with Etymology Namas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518095046/https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2014/web/webtc/servepdf.php?page=528 |date=2019-05-18 }}, Oxford University Press, p. 528&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2014/web/webtc/indexcaller.php?input=HK&amp;amp;output=SktRomanUnicode&amp;amp;citation=caraka namas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006195739/http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2014/web/webtc/indexcaller.php?input=HK&amp;amp;output=SktRomanUnicode&amp;amp;citation=caraka |date=2018-10-06 }}, Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary 1899 edition], Harvard University update (2008)&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The phrase &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namas-te&amp;#039;&amp;#039; appears with this meaning in &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Rigveda&amp;#039;&amp;#039; 8.75.10,&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://sa.wikisource.org/s/13ky RV 8.75.10, Wikisource]:&amp;lt;br&amp;gt; &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;नमस्ते&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; अग्न ओजसे गृणन्ति देव कृष्टयः ।&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;Translation: &amp;quot;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Homage to&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; your power, Agni! The separate peoples hymn you, o god.&amp;quot;&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;Translators: Stephanie Jamison &amp;amp; Joel Brereton (2014), &amp;#039;&amp;#039;The Rigveda&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, Volume 2 of three, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-01-99363-780}}, p. 1172&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Atharvaveda&amp;#039;&amp;#039; verse 6.13.2, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Taittirya Samhita&amp;#039;&amp;#039; 2.6.11.2 and in numerous other instances in many early Hindu texts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Maurice Bloomfield, [https://archive.org/stream/vedicconcordance00bloouoft#page/532/mode/2up Vedic Concordance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331215229/https://archive.org/stream/vedicconcordance00bloouoft#page/532/mode/2up |date=2019-03-31 }}, Harvard University Press, pp. 532–533&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; It is also found in numerous ancient and medieval era sculpture and &amp;#039;&amp;#039;mandapa&amp;#039;&amp;#039; relief artwork in [[Hindu temple]]s.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite book|author=A. K. Krishna Nambiar|title=Namaste: Its Philosophy and Significance in Indian Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vOwtAAAAMAAJ|year=1979|oclc=654838066|pages=vii–viii with listed pages|access-date=2018-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101062638/https://books.google.com/books?id=vOwtAAAAMAAJ|archive-date=2020-01-01|url-status=live}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Nepali hindu bride.JPG|thumb|A Nepali bride in Namaste pose while welcoming guests at her wedding]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
According to the Indologist Stephen Phillips, the terms &amp;quot;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;te&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and &amp;#039;&amp;#039;tvam&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;quot; are an informal, familiar form of &amp;quot;you&amp;quot; in Sanskrit, and it is typically not used for unfamiliar adults. It is reserved for someone familiar, intimate, divine or a child.&amp;lt;ref name=phillips2009p272/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;This is similar to &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[T–V distinction|tu / vous]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039; of French and Romance languages in Europe, states the Indologist [[Patrick Olivelle]], see: {{cite book|author=Patrick Olivelle|title=Manu&amp;#039;s Code of Law|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PnHo02RtONMC |year=2005|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-517146-4|pages=346 note 11.205}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; By using the dative form of &amp;#039;&amp;#039;tvam&amp;#039;&amp;#039; in the greeting &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namas-te&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, there is an embedded secondary, metaphorical sense in the word. This is the basis of the pragmatic meaning of &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namas-te&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, that is &amp;quot;salutations to the (divine) child (in your heart)&amp;quot;, states Phillips.&amp;lt;ref name=phillips2009p272&amp;gt;{{cite book|author=Stephen H. Phillips|title=Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=cRg2AAAAQBAJ |year= 2009|publisher= Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-51947-2|pages=272 note 26}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the contemporary era, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039; means &amp;#039;bow&amp;#039;, &amp;#039;obeisance&amp;#039;, &amp;#039;reverential salutation&amp;#039; or &amp;#039;adoration&amp;#039;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Citation | url = http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/tamil/recherche?dictionary=mwd&amp;amp;st=namas&amp;amp;prst=exact&amp;amp;en=&amp;amp;pren=exact&amp;amp;maxhits=50 | contribution = Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon | type = search results | title = Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries | publisher = [[University of Cologne]] | access-date = March 24, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130925085740/http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/tamil/recherche?dictionary=mwd&amp;amp;st=namas&amp;amp;prst=exact&amp;amp;en=&amp;amp;pren=exact&amp;amp;maxhits=50 | archive-date = September 25, 2013 | url-status = dead }}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; and &amp;#039;&amp;#039;te&amp;#039;&amp;#039; means &amp;#039;to you&amp;#039; (singular [[dative case]] of &amp;#039;tvam&amp;#039;). Therefore, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; literally means &amp;quot;bowing to you&amp;quot;.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&amp;amp;search=namaste&amp;amp;searchmode=none Namaste] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302231046/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&amp;amp;search=namaste&amp;amp;searchmode=none |date=2014-03-02 }} Douglas Harper, Etymology Dictionary&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; In [[Hinduism]], it also has a spiritual import reflecting the belief that &amp;quot;the divine and self ([[Atman (Hinduism)|atman]], Self) is same in you and me&amp;quot;, and connotes &amp;quot;I bow to the divine in you&amp;quot;.&amp;lt;ref name=ying&amp;gt;Ying, Y. W., Coombs, M., &amp;amp; Lee, P. A. (1999), &amp;quot;Family intergenerational relationship of Asian American adolescents&amp;quot;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 5(4), pp. 350–363&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=kvsingh/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Lawrence, J. D. (2007), &amp;quot;The Boundaries of Faith: A Journey in India&amp;quot;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Homily Service&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 41(2), pp. 1–3&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; According to sociologist Holly Oxhandler, it is a Hindu term which means &amp;quot;the sacred in me recognizes the sacred in you&amp;quot;.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;Oxhandlerp168&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite journal | last=Oxhandler | first=Holly | title=Namaste Theory: A Quantitative Grounded Theory on Religion and Spirituality in Mental Health Treatment | journal=Religions | volume=8 | issue=9 | year=2017 | doi=10.3390/rel8090168 | page=168| doi-access=free }}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A less common variant is used in the case of three or more people being addressed namely &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namo vaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039; which is a combination of &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and the enclitic second person plural pronoun &amp;#039;&amp;#039;vaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;fm&amp;quot;/&amp;gt; The word &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039; takes the [[sandhi]] form &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namo&amp;#039;&amp;#039; before the sound &amp;#039;&amp;#039;v&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;fn&amp;quot;/&amp;gt; An even less common variant is used in the case of two people being addressed, namely, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namo vām&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, which is a combination of &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaḥ&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and the enclitic second person [[dual (grammatical number)|dual]] pronoun &amp;#039;&amp;#039;vām&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;fm&amp;quot;/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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===History===&lt;br /&gt;
Excavations for [[Indus Valley Civilization|Indus Valley Civilisation]] have revealed many male and female terracotta figures in &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; posture.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Sharma &amp;amp; Sharma (2004), &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Panorama of Harappan Civilization&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, {{ISBN|978-8174790576}}, Kaveri Books, p. 129&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2007/4-6/pdf/Hinduism-Today_Apr-May-Jun_2007.pdf &amp;quot;Origins of Hinduism&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226231134/http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2007/4-6/pdf/Hinduism-Today_Apr-May-Jun_2007.pdf |date=2014-02-26 }}. &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Hinduism Today&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, Volume 7, Issue 2 (April/May/June), Chapter 1, p. 3&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; These archaeological findings are dated to be between 3000 BCE to 2000 BCE.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/prodCollections.asp?pid=36&amp;amp;id=1&amp;amp;lk=dp1 Seated Male in Namaskar pose] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223014905/http://nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/prodCollections.asp?pid=36&amp;amp;id=1&amp;amp;lk=dp1 |date=2014-02-23 }} National Museum, New Delhi, India (2012)&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;S Kalyanaraman, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Indus Script Cipher: Hieroglyphs of Indian Linguistic Area&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, {{ISBN|978-0982897102}}, pp. 234–236&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:6th to 7th century Rajivalochan Vishnu Temple namaste 2, Rajim, Chhattisgarh artwork - 9.jpg|thumb|left|A Namaste gesture in the artwork of the 6th to 7th century CE Rajivalochan Vishnu Temple, Rajim, [[Chhattisgarh]]]]&lt;br /&gt;
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==Anjali Mudra==&lt;br /&gt;
The gesture of folding hands during a Namaste is called the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Añjali Mudrā]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039;. In addition to Namaste, this &amp;#039;&amp;#039;mudra&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is one of the postures found in Indian classical dance such as [[Bharatanatyam]],&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;Anami Bhandage31021–31040&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite journal | last=Anami | first=Basavaraj S. | last2=Bhandage | first2=Venkatesh A. | title=A vertical-horizontal-intersections feature based method for identification of bharatanatyam double hand mudra images | journal=Multimedia Tools and Applications | publisher=Springer Science | volume=77 | issue=23 | date=2018-06-04 | issn=1380-7501 | doi=10.1007/s11042-018-6223-y | pages=31021–31040}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; and in yoga practice.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;CarrollCarroll2012&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite book|author1=C Carroll|author2=R Carroll|title=Mudras of India: A Comprehensive Guide to the Hand Gestures of Yoga and Indian Dance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fn_c9wbLIeAC&amp;amp;pg=PA44|year=2012|publisher=SD Publishers|isbn=978-0-85701-067-4|pages=44–46}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; It is widely found in Indian temple reliefs and sculpture in mandapam, at entrances and iconography such as the Lingobhavamurti of [[Shaivism]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite journal|author = Douglas Barrett| title= An Early Cola Lingodbhavamurti|journal = The British Museum Quarterly| volume= 28| number= 1/2 (Summer) |year= 1964| pp= 32-39|jstor=4422848}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite journal|title=Indian Sculpture Newly Acquired|author= Stella Kramrisch| journal=Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin (Winter)|year= 1957|volume= 52|number= 252| pp=30-38 with Fig 2 and 3|jstor=379036}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The Anjali mudra differs from Namaste by being a non-verbal gesture, while Namaste can be said with or without any gesture. According to Bhaumik and Govil, the Anjali mudra and Namaskara mudra are very similar but have a subtle difference. The back of the thumbs in Anjali mudra face the chest and are perpendicular to other fingers, while the thumbs in Namaskara mudra are aligned with the other fingers.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;BhaumikGovil2020&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite book | last=Bhaumik | first=Gopa | last2=Govil | first2=Mahesh Chandra | title=Communications in Computer and Information Science | chapter=Buddhist Hasta Mudra Recognition Using Morphological Features | publisher=Springer Singapore | publication-place=Singapore | year=2020 | isbn=978-981-15-6314-0 | issn=1865-0929 | doi=10.1007/978-981-15-6315-7_29 | pages=356–364}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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Anjali mudra is described in Sanskrit texts such as in verse 9.127–128 of the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Natya Shastra]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (200 BCE – 200 CE), in temple architecture texts dated after the 6th-century CE such as in verse 5.67 of the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Devata murti prakarana&amp;#039;&amp;#039; and those on painting called the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Citrasutras&amp;#039;&amp;#039;. The &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Natya Shastra&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, a classical Indian dance text, describes it to be a posture where the two hands are folded together in a reverential state and that this is used to pray before a deity, receive any person one reveres and also to greet friends. The &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Natya Shastra&amp;#039;&amp;#039; further states that for prayers inside a temple, the Anjali mudra should be placed near one&amp;#039;s head or above, while meeting someone venerable it is placed in front of one&amp;#039;s face or chin, and for friends near one&amp;#039;s chest.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite book|title=The Theory of Indian Painting: the Citrasutras, their Uses and Interpretations|author=Isabella Nardi|year=2003|publisher=SOAS, University of London|pages=132-134, also see Figure 67 on page 273}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite book|title=Theatre in Southeast Asia|author = James R. BRANDON |year=2009|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn= 9780674028746|pages=137-139}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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==Uses==&lt;br /&gt;
The gesture is widely used throughout the Indian subcontinent, parts of [[Asia]] and beyond where people of South and Southeast Asian origins have migrated.&amp;lt;ref name=ying/&amp;gt; &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; or &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namaskar&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is used as a respectful form of greeting, acknowledging and welcoming a relative, guest or stranger.&amp;lt;ref name=jonesryan/&amp;gt; In some contexts, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is used by one person to express gratitude for assistance offered or given, and to thank the other person for his or her generous kindness.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Joseph Shaules (2007), Deep Culture: The Hidden Challenges of Global Living, {{ISBN|978-1847690166}}, pp. 68–70&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaskar&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is also part of the 16 [[upachara]]s used inside temples or any place of formal [[Puja (Hinduism)|Puja]] (worship). &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; in the context of deity worship, scholars conclude,&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;James Lochtefeld, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 2, {{ISBN|0-8239-2287-1}}, 720 pp.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Citation|last=Fuller|first=C. J.|year=2004|title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India|place=Princeton, NJ|publisher= Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-12048-5|pages=66–70}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; has the same function as in greeting a guest or anyone else. It expresses politeness, courtesy, honor, and hospitality from one person to the other. It is used in goodbyes as well.  This is sometimes expressed, in ancient Hindu scriptures such as [[Taittiriya Upanishad]], as [[Atithi Devo Bhava]] (literally, treat the guest like a god).&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Kelkar (2010), {{doi-inline|10.1080/15332969.2010.510722|A Vedic approach to measurement of service quality}}, Services Marketing Quarterly, 31(4), 420–433&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Roberto De Nobili, Preaching Wisdom to the Wise: Three Treatises, {{ISBN|978-1880810378}}, p. 132&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is one of the six forms of [[Pranāma|pranama]], and in parts of India these terms are used synonymously.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;R.R. Mehrotra (1995), How to be polite in Indian English, International Journal of the Sociology of Language. Volume 116, Issue 1, pp. 99–110&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;G. Chatterjee (2003), &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Sacred Hindu Symbols&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, {{ISBN|978-8170173977}}, pp. 47–49&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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Since Namaste is a non-contact form of greeting, [[Israel]]i Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] suggested using the gesture as an alternative to hand shaking during the [[COVID-19 pandemic|2020 Coronavirus pandemic]] as a means to prevent the spread of the virus.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/greet-the-indian-way-israeli-pm-urges-citizens-to-adopt-namaste-instead-of-handshakes-to-avoid-covid/561118|title=Greet the Indian way: Israeli PM urges citizens to adopt &amp;#039;Namaste&amp;#039; instead of handshakes to avoid COVID-19|website=www.timesnownews.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312033101/https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/greet-the-indian-way-israeli-pm-urges-citizens-to-adopt-namaste-instead-of-handshakes-to-avoid-covid/561118|archive-date=2020-03-12|url-status=live}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
==Gallery==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;gallery class=&amp;quot;center&amp;quot; widths=&amp;quot;200&amp;quot; heights=&amp;quot;200&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
File:Namaste to the rising sun, Hindu culture religion rites rituals sights.jpg|A side view of a Hindu man in Namaste pose&lt;br /&gt;
File:1500-1200 BCE, Vivaha sukta, Rigveda 10.85.16-27, Sanskrit, Devanagari, manuscript page.jpg|The ninth line from the top, last word in the &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Rigveda&amp;#039;&amp;#039; manuscript above is &amp;#039;&amp;#039;namas&amp;#039;&amp;#039; in the sense of &amp;quot;reverential worship&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
File:Thai wai.jpg|Statue with Namaste pose in a Thai temple&lt;br /&gt;
File:1 namaste greeting statue in Bali Indonesia.jpg|Namaste statue in Bali Indonesia&lt;br /&gt;
File:Yakshi on elephant.Bharhut.Bharat Kala Bhavan.jpg|Namaste (yakshi salabhanjika), {{circa}} 100 BCE, Satna, Madhya Pradesh&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/gallery&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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==See also==&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Culture of India]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Pranāma]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Sat Sri Akal]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Buddhist terms and concepts#G|Gassho]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Sampeah]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Thai greeting|Wai]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== References ==&lt;br /&gt;
{{Reflist |30em}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== External links ==&lt;br /&gt;
{{Commons category}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Wiktionary}}&lt;br /&gt;
* [http://www.yogajournal.com/article/beginners/the-meaning-of-quot-namaste-quot/ The meaning of Namaste] &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Yoga Journal&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
* [https://proreaders.in/bye-full-form/] &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Saying goodbye in different languages- Namaste&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
* [http://iils.org/pdf/ModesofGreetings.pdf Modes of Greetings in Kashmiri], Indian Institute of Language Studies&lt;br /&gt;
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071226125638/http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/fall97/2chd.htm Ancient Indus Valley Seal print showing Namaste/anjali mudra], CSU Chico&lt;br /&gt;
{{Gestures|state=expanded}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Hindudharma}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Authority control}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Bowing]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Cultural conventions]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Greetings]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Gestures of respect]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Greeting words and phrases]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Greeting words and phrases of India]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Greeting words and phrases of Nepal]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Hand gestures]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Human communication]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Indian traditions]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Mudras]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Phrases]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Parting phrases]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Salutes]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Traditions]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>ImportMaster</name></author>
	</entry>
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