Namaste Is Vanishing

[ghanashyam]

Few years back, Namaste was heard whenever you call upon someone. But the English has made its way all around and instead of Namaste we hear Hello which is rather rude to ears. Namaste has an Indian touch and I think the Indians like to hear it more than Hello.

Tumara kya khayal hai?

[ashwinr1]

That is so true! We have been losing out on many of our traditional native habits and languages to English. In Tamil we used to say "Vannakam" which is the Hindi equivalent of "Namaste". Now that has been converted to "Hello man! wassup? how are you dude?" 

While we need to get global and converse well in English, we also need to stick to our ethnic roots!

[Meera]

I like using Namaste. Although my Indian friends laugh at me when I use it because they say "it's so formal" 

[SpiralArchitect]

True. I don't think I have ever used the word namaste when greeting my friends or people slightly older than me. On the other hand, the greeting is still in common usage when meeting elders, perhaps in consideration to the older language who are used to it. Its sad but the word's popular usage may just vanish with our generation (and by this I refer to those who were born is the late 80s and the early 90s)

[pcgamer]

No, it's not vanishing at all, not in Delhi at least. I utter that word so many times in a day. 'Namste uncle' and 'namaste auntie' is a norm.

[ghanashyam]

No, it's not vanishing at all, not in Delhi at least. I utter that word so many times in a day. 'Namste uncle' and 'namaste auntie' is a norm.

But Delhi in the pure Hindi base but the other states like Rajsthan or Gujrat or even MP you will find NASTE fewer times. The old things are wearing out against the new things. What is more is the even HELLO is vanishing a HI or HYE is taking the place.

You cannot stop the wheel of time.

[SpiralArchitect]

Namaste wasn't in common usage in Rajasthan at any point of time as far the rural areas go. Its modifications like namaskar or similar salutations are still very much the norm. In urban areas, its still as common as it would be in a region like Delhi. Heck, it is probably even more commonly used here and the whole going 'out of fashion' thing is endemic only to the major metro cities. As far as its usage with your peers is concerned, I've rarely seen it used that way. So, perhaps its going out of usage in those conversations.

[pcgamer]

But Delhi in the pure Hindi base but the other states like Rajsthan or Gujrat or even MP you will find NASTE fewer times. The old things are wearing out against the new things. What is more is the even HELLO is vanishing a HI or HYE is taking the place.

You cannot stop the wheel of time.

I think that we should learn to adapt with the changing times. You have to change yourself to stay relevant in the society.

[MyDigitalpoint]

This post is curious to me, because while in India probably you are hearing "hello" and other English expressions, in many other countries is actually more common to hearing Namaste instead.

It might be trendy though, because even you can see countless posts on Facebook that close with "Nameste" or graphics with this Hindi word.

[pcgamer]

This post is curious to me, because while in India probably you are hearing "hello" and other English expressions, in many other countries is actually more common to hearing Namaste instead.

It might be trendy though, because even you can see countless posts on Facebook that close with "Nameste" or graphics with this Hindi word.

Yes, I have noticed that. When you meet a foreigner, they will say 'Namste' instead of a 'hi' or 'hello. I think the main reason behind that s they are taught that we prefer to be greeted by 'namste'.

[BWL]

I've noticed this trend as well with my younger Indian friends. In Malaysia, where most of the Indian community is of Tamil origin,. "Hello", "hi" and it's variants have supplanted formal Tamil greetings like "Vanakkam" except when greeting elderly people. This trend is probably evolving at an even faster pace among overseas Indian communities than within India.

[ejazu]

Yeah it's sad to see that hardly any people are greeting in the mother-tongue, we our slowly losing our culture because of this. Here in Pune, I've hardly heard anyone saying Namaste. I guess it will only be reduced to the beginning of Yoga sessions. 

[SpiralArchitect]

I've noticed this trend as well with my younger Indian friends. In Malaysia, where most of the Indian community is of Tamil origin,. "Hello", "hi" and it's variants have supplanted formal Tamil greetings like "Vanakkam" except when greeting elderly people. This trend is probably evolving at an even faster pace among overseas Indian communities than within India.

From what I've heard from my friends, Vanakkam hasn't been the accepted form of greeting for quite a while now and is considered archaic in normal usage. In fact even their parents don't use it much now.

[aditk8149]

I do agree with you!

I think, this is because of the corporate world mostly!

On top of it, if at all, continues to say Namaste, people look at him/her in a surprised way. This shows that we need to take a step ahead so that the word can be remembered for more years!

[BWL]

This is interesting because nowadays technological advancement has enabled us to live in a virtual borderless world. We can watch movies from anywhere in the world thanks to TV and the Internet and although this process has been going on for a long time now (since cinemas and then TV came into existence in the 20th Century), globalisation will only increase exponentially! I do not know how traditional aspects of different cultures will survive the onslaught of globalisation.

I'm in Istanbul now and I am surprised how European everything looks! Only a hundred years ago everyone was in turbans and veils!

[SpiralArchitect]

This is interesting because nowadays technological advancement has enabled us to live in a virtual borderless world. We can watch movies from anywhere in the world thanks to TV and the Internet and although this process has been going on for a long time now (since cinemas and then TV came into existence in the 20th Century), globalisation will only increase exponentially! I do not know how traditional aspects of different cultures will survive the onslaught of globalisation.

I'm in Istanbul now and I am surprised how European everything looks! Only a hundred years ago everyone was in turbans and veils!

Would European be the correct term because a 100 years ago everyone in Europe dressed very differently from how they dress today. The current so called Western dressing style is actually more of a global thing now.

[Meera]

This is kind of off topic but not totally so I will ask it here. Do people still say alvida and phir milenge? Also when I watch Hindi serials, when they are saying bye to each other I usually hear ram-ram or sita-ram or sometimes like hare Krishna. I understand what they mean, but do people still use these in India or is dying out like Namaste? I hardly ever here this in films, it is always in the serials.

[SpiralArchitect]

This is kind of off topic but not totally so I will ask it here. Do people still say alvida and phir milenge? Also when I watch Hindi serials, when they are saying bye to each other I usually hear ram-ram or sita-ram or sometimes like hare Krishna. I understand what they mean, but do people still use these in India or is dying out like Namaste? I hardly ever here this in films, it is always in the serials.

Ram-ram is a common greeting in villages but I've NEVER seen it used in a city. It's a part of the rural language only.

As for alvida and fir milnge, people use them all the time. The latter in particular is the most accepted way of saying good bye.

[Meera]

शुक्रिया, SpiralArchtiect!

[SpringBreeze]

Like MyDigitalpoint, I find this thread interesting. I hear and read namaste often where I live and online. I especially hear it often in the spiritual, new-age, and yoga communities. It has become the way to greet and say good-bye to people. And everyone automatically knows what it means. Which then means many more people are familiar with the word...

[Meera]

Like MyDigitalpoint, I find this thread interesting. I hear and read namaste often where I live and online. I especially hear it often in the spiritual, new-age, and yoga communities. It has become the way to greet and say good-bye to people. And everyone automatically knows what it means. Which then means many more people are familiar with the word...

Yeah all of my yoga classes begin and end with Namaste haha. You also find it on bags, signs, wall hangings and other things in yoga and new age stores lol

[VinayaSpeaks]

I don't think Namaste is vanishing. If you travel to India, one of the most populous nation in the world, you will find everyone greeting you with Namaste. Namaste is also used a formal  and informal greeting in Nepal. Namaste is a variation of Sanskrit Namaskaram, which mean hello,or I bow to thee.

[Linguistic]

Personally for me, Namaste is still around in the formal circles, like whenever I meet my in laws, it is used often.

 

From normal day to day conversation, it is vanishing that is true, but it still has it's place in the Indian Conversation. Hopefully it stays that way as it is a huge ice breaker when you are in the formal circles.