When people meet, they greet each other in various ways. Some say “hello” with a Namaste and some say “hello” with a handshake. Some merely smile, while others bend their heads gently in warm acknowledgement. But a handshake is still the commonest way of greeting especially when two men meet.
Handshakes vary from person to person. I can still remember vividly the first time I was introduced to an army colonel who was the chief guest at our college day function. He shot his hand out and gave me such a firm and solid handshake that my bony fingers almost suffered a fracture! Since then I’ve been wary of shaking hands with defence personnel!
In total contrast to the firm hand shakers are the weak and unsteady hand shakers. They don’t clasp your hand securely and their hand hangs limp. However, they are better than those who just don’t wish to shake hands or don’t look you in the eye during a handshake.
Have you met the sorts who give a left-handed shake? Strictly speaking, they are not ‘lefties’ (most lefties lend their right hand) but they are eager to shake your hand despite being preoccupied in eating or washing or some such chore. Therefore, they thrust their left hand forward.
The funniest ones I have come across are those who think a handshake is a game. In their excitement of having met you they hold your hand firmly and swing it up and down, much to your chagrin and to the amusement of onlookers.
Handshaking is a friendly gesture. Be it a greeting, a congratulation, an agreement or a farewell, handshakes express one’s feelings. Even man’s best friend, the dog, willingly gives its paw when asking for a “handshake”.
Unlike in the west, women in India are hesitant to shake hands with men or even with members of their own sex when they meet or get introduced to each other. Most women in our country prefer to fold their hands and say the traditional Namaste.
Talking of handshakes, one is reminded of the pranks played by us during our school days. Concealing an ordinary pin between the index finger and the thumb, we’d thrust our hand out to an unsuspecting student saying, “Hi, how are you?” While the student would let out a sudden scream or dance on one foot shaking his palm on experiencing the sharp pin-prick, the gang of mischief mongers would break into a guffaw. In hindsight, I think it was a rather cruel prank which nobody should indulge in.
Over the years, I have shaken all kinds of hands – big and small hands, fat and thin hands, soft and rough hands, greasy, sticky, oily and sweaty hands, muddy hands, hands with gold and silver ornaments and even hands with gloves. The best hands are of course, clean hands (literally and metaphorically) because they are a delight to press.
Since the onset of Covid-19 and social distancing, handshakes became a casualty due to fear of the virus. Even now people are hesitant to shake hands and prefer to greet each other in different ways - a Namaste, an elbow touch, a fist bump, a simple wave or just a smile or hello.
Handshakes have a history of thousands of years and I only hope they don’t become a fond memory of the past!