Science of Meet & Greet
A Namaskar, gesture of holding palms together with slight bow is a usual way to greet. But a lot other feelings and attitude can be inferred even from such simple gesture. If done in a certain way it can convey ‘request’, ‘had enough’, ‘you ought to stop (repulsively)’ to the person it's done for and even 'good riddance' if done at someone's back. Like 'Politician Handshake', there is 'Politician Namaskar' too, with all hands joined together forming a budding lotus.
Whatsoever, it all depends upon the scenario, body language, gesture as a whole and the person to whom those joining hands are attached to. A lot of such observations could be made out from the meet and greet of PM Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh two weeks ago, after the heated situation caused by PM's statement where he had accused Singh of colluding with Pakistan. The duo had come across each-other during a ceremony for the martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack at Parliament House. While everyone, notionally, had their fingers in their mouth trying to access the situation looking into the non-communicative ways of expression and gauge what would happen next, both met like nothing has happened and even went as far to have a 'Politician Namaskar' as if that would be apt for everyone's level of digestion.
Though it is not new in the arena to pass remarks and shake hands when the political rivalry goes on, the situation was intense as it was the present head of the country alleging the former head of being involved in anti-national activity, forcing the latter, known to be tight-lipped, to come up with stern response saying that the PM is allegedly spreading “falsehood and canards” and sought an apology from former for same.
Anyhow, such encounters never cease to amaze, in fact making one wonder what must be going on in those two minds, hate, disgust, embarrassment or the compulsion to throw fists.
Maybe just nothing; moving purposefully keeping in mind the bigger picture or the cameras around and acting sanely at the inhumane levels.
Whatever it must be, PM’s act of blurting out the statement had been mainly condemned for different reasons cited; his attitude had been criticized, his approach as PM and as representative of the office had been questioned and apologies had been sought. Even if it didn't seem harmful to him initially, he must had for one thought of taking it back or serving in different flavour, or on different platter with different garnishing; even though one doubts if that could have worked any better. On the other hand, Mr. Singh must be agitated wondering that he cannot even enjoy an evening, which he claims was restricted to informal discussions about India’s relations with Pakistan and that the Gujarat polls didn’t figure in the conversation.
The instance, for obvious reasons has been labelled disgraceful. Even so, Singh greeted Modi with a Namaste just before the ceremony, which the Prime Minister mirrored and moved forward to shake hands with his predecessor leading to Politician Namaskar.
Nonetheless the two, Modi and Singh along with others had paid homage to the martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack at the sombre ceremony held at the Parliament House complex. Two weeks on, it is yet to be seen if this 'Namaskar' has cooled down heat or there was more to rip off in the exchange of statements.