Abhivādan: Namaskāra

In Sanskrit, greetings are called Abhivādan, which means an act of respectfully acknowledging someone’s presence, through words, gestures, or both.

I feel greetings carry something very subtle, but very real. Just a small “hello” or “I hope you are well” changes something within. It brings a little warmth, a little life into the moment, like the soul is being acknowledged. It makes you take a pause before you start the conversation.

There’s something about greetings that makes them so important in our daily lives, something very human. The world constantly pushes us to function like machines, efficient, fast, and time saving. I feel greetings bring an ease into our interactions, a sense of connection, and an awareness that we are not just bodies, but individuals with emotions, presence, and energy. They remind us that we are humans, we feel, we notice, we exist equally. The ones we work with, and work for, the ones who cook for us, clean our spaces, take care of our surroundings, stand attentively guarding our gates, no hierarchy, no comparison, just one human meeting another. It’s a very gentle way of saying, I see you.

At Raga Svara, we believe a Namaskāra is not just a greeting, but a moment of surrender. When you bow your head slightly and join your hands, something shifts inside. Our ego softens. For a moment, you let go of roles, identities, and judgments. It feels like you are saying, I honour your soul, no matter who you are or what you do.

For me, greetings feel like an offering at the beginning of any interaction, like I am offering and being offered a little comfort, a little space, a way of saying, you are welcome here.

If we see it not as just a social formality, they are soulful exchanges. They remind us to slow down and meet each other with a sense of kindness and humility in a world that sometimes feels distant.

Khushi S, Raga Svara