Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 367

GREETING ACQUAINTANCES
327
Only Brahmins and gurus have the right to give
wishes.
the asirvadam or to pronounce the sacred word over those
who treat them with respect or give them presents. Some
persons, when saluting a Brahmin, content themselves with
raising their clasped hands as far as their chest.
Another very respectful manner of greeting is to extend
both hands towards the feet of him whom you wish to
honour, or to seize his knees while you throw yourself at
This is a very common mode of greeting between
his feet.
a son and a father, or between a younger and an elder
The same
brother, on meeting after a long separation.
humble attitude is also adopted when asking for pardon or
and only when the object is attained does
for a favour
the postulant relax his hold on the feet of the person whom
he is addressing.
But of all the modes of salutation the most solemn and
the most reverential is the sashtanga, or prostration of the
;
members,
six
elsewhere
l
.
of
which mention has already been made
When a Hindu is about to make a ceremonious
members of his family who live at a distance, he
makes a halt when he gets near the place and sends some
one to warn his relatives that he is coming. The relatives
then start at once to fetch him, and conduct him to their
home, often with much ceremony, and accompanied by
music. It is not customary either to shake hands or to
A man who publicly
kiss each other on these occasions.
kisses a woman, even if she be his wife, commits the grossest
breach of social decorum. A brother would not think of
visit to
taking such a liberty with a sister, or a son with his mother.
Only on a visit of condolence do they make a pretence
and
of doing so to the person to whom the visit is paid
this form of salute, in which the lips do not really touch
the face, is only permissible between persons of the same
;
sex.
Women bow respectfully to men without speaking or
looking at them. Children salute their parents in the same
manner and stand upright before them, with their arms
1
See Chapter
III.
It has already been pointed out in a note to p.
wrong in translating sashtanga as ' six members
members.'
Ed.
42 that the Abbe
'
instead of
'
is
eight