Indianexpress.com : comments : ‘Don't greet Indian women with kiss, say namaste’

‘Don't greet Indian women with kiss, say namaste’

London: While in India, do as the Indians do and mind your manners, say 'namaste' and don't kiss women while greeting them - that is the message given to British companies keen to set up shop in the country. The UK India Business Council organised a crash course in etiquette this week for companies bas ....Read more

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Re: NamasteBy: Prakash Thakur | Tuesday , 18 Aug '09 23:09:47 PM Reply | Forward Sanskrit is the most perfected and most advanced language of all. In fact, most of the world's great languages are derived from Sanskrit. Namaste literally means "I greet the divine in you". What better way to greet someone. There is no discrimination of gender, ethnicity or any of that kind.In fact, this word has been frequently used in many spiritual practices in the West now and you can see how people have loved using this word during Yoga, mantra meditation etc. Sanskrit Mantra chanting has been adapted by all over the world now owing to its great healing power.Namaste.

It is a false moralism!By: TG Naidu | Sunday , 19 Jul '09 19:43:33 PM Reply | Forward Pseudo-western culture pervades in every walk of life in India these days. We seem to take particular pleasure in imitating perceived western ways than taking pride in portraying our own cultural values. The Bollywood movies thrive on indecent dance numbers, pubs are the hottest growing get-togethers of rich youngsters, and indulgence in flaunting riches and "acquisition of things we really do not need" - these are identified with "advancing social norms". Where is the promotion of truly Indian values in all these? If we are honest, we will question our pervert inclinations to ape un-indigenous ways than blame others for supposed "corrupting" our youth or defacing our culture.The real potential for corrosion of our cultural values lie in the waning dignity in identifying ourselves with our social practices, rather than in foreigners introducing theirs on us. An honest invitation with an affectionate kiss can be a more genuine greeting than the hypocritical NAMASTHE without conviction.

Greet and enjoyBy: Sanchit | Sunday , 19 Jul '09 11:03:28 AM Reply | Forward Kiss,Namaste or Good morning,all are the dishes of the same plate.Intention is to greet and convey the regards. It should not be issue for any and in any country,in the mode of expressing this feelings.Be it Indian being kissed,or Westerner being greeted Namaste,till the respect and good wishe are behind the gesture,I don't think people will mind.Morever exposure to different ways of greetings,gives an opportunity,to know about the new culture.So go ahead,and don't hesitate,in showing your love to other...Cheers.

comment for namaste!!!!!!!!By: ravinder | Saturday , 18 Jul '09 23:46:01 PM Reply | Forward care for traditions and culture.....so namastee.....

Indians raising fingers at foreignersBy: angela | Saturday , 18 Jul '09 15:28:52 PM Reply | Forward It's pure hypocrisy. What Indians are following now, western culture in every way.. clothes, food, behaviour, greetings and gatherings .. what about PUBS.. aren't the youth of today lost the track of being an India?Western country have realised their mistakes and are now slowly adapting to Indian way of life. Isn't this something to really be proud off.Every time why blame christians, even you see hindu, muslims, sikhs etc in the pub.. equal number and may be more. You can see indians wearing jeans, suits, hats etc and ladies wearing western dress suits, frocks, shorts mini dresses etc these are not Indian dresses then why adapt to it.The Indians first try to correct themselves and then tell the foreigners to behave properly.So my dear brothers and sisters lets us correct ourselves and be modest in doing so.

GreetingsBy: Khandu Patel | Saturday , 18 Jul '09 4:18:16 AM Reply | Forward The kiss on the cheek is the way mediteranean people have greeted each other from ancient times. Under Christianity it obtained religious sanction which is practiced on the European continent and hardly at all in England. The English greeting is the "hello" whose meaning "who is there". India does not have any one greetings so a visitor. He might not necessarily know if the person he is greeting is a Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. A Muslim receiving the namaste greeting from an Englishman might be forgiven for thinking that he has converted to Hinduism and vice versa. Since greetings have to be exchanged in formal settings, fumbling through is no way to create the best of environments for business dealings. Indian business leaders would benefit from the course too. The Japanese themselves read much importance in to their greetings as they hold religiously to the view that success depends on things being done correctly. That should be the Indian moto too.

Pure hypocracy.By: Naveen | Friday , 17 Jul '09 18:10:45 PM Reply | Forward Indians are just as promiscous, vagrant and sexually expressive as any in the world, its only that they hide behind the veil of what seems to be, to a common observer, a residue of bygone Victorian morality rubbed off from the Raj.Liberty, Equality and egalitarianism are the values that need to be emulated in the indian society instead of aping western side effects like Wearing jeans or granting gay rights.

Say Namaste or Namaskaram or Vanakam than Good Morning etc.By: Sridhar | Friday , 17 Jul '09 12:31:08 PM Reply | Forward Say Namaste or Namaskaram than using things like Good Morning or other English greetings and see how positively people respond to it .... I have done it and found it quite nice.

Why NOT a kiss?By: HWM | Friday , 17 Jul '09 11:45:44 AM Reply | Forward Come on people, why not a kiss? And more often than not, a 'kiss' is actually brushing of cheeks...Well, you should not kiss a regular manoos on the street or else, you risk getting lynched by the mob (am thinking MNS)... but you should not be closed to the idea... Some people do not mind a kiss as a form of greeting.. So, why close your mind to it?

Why not KissBy: Sam | Saturday , 18 Jul '09 10:57:28 AM Reply | Forward u r a moron , it is not closing the mind but learning the right etiquette and manners if u wants to do business in that part of the world. So open ur brain cell and dont be a dumb idiot. u may get killed if you try to kiss a woman in india if you dont know her. I have spent 10 years there and know a bit abt that culture.

Don't kiss and Don't hug - What about our Bollywood culture? They have already learntBy: Dr. Divyesh Raythatha | Friday , 17 Jul '09 11:11:12 AM Reply | Forward Britishers/foreigners when once told, they will never make a mistake to kiss or hug an Indian lady. The matter of concern is with our great film industry - Bollywood. In various awards program sponsored by some companies, Bollywood actors have been behaving as if they are in UK or USA. People watch it and adopt it. Now, even some paticipants in some entertainment channels also have started doing the same thing spreading the message of freedom among viewers. To preserve and protect Indian culture in this time of electronic mass medium - TV - is becoming tough, probably very difficult.

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