# ID this greeting gesture at an Indian akhada

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [May 26, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364 "2013-05-26T01:40:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364/1 "2013-05-26T01:40:43Z")

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Or wrestling camp.

Reading about the Olympics discarding wrestling (which is the inanest thing I’ve ever heard) I eventually wandered [across this video about an old traditional akhada](http://kushtiwrestling.blogspot.com/2012/07/visit-to-bhooteshwar-akhara.html).

So, about 20 seconds into the video, the wrestlers are starting their day I guess and they all come around and check in with the coach. They each touch the coach’s pants leg, and the coach also touches each person back.

It struck me as an interesting ritual, if that’s what it is.

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**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364/2 "2013-05-26T02:34:11Z")

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The traditional greeting of an elder is to touch their feet, showing respect. The wrestlers seem to be paying homage to this tradition without quite reaching down as far as the feet. Usually you would say "pranam“ and the elder says “kushro“ which I’ve always thought meant something like bless you, child.

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**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364/3 "2013-05-26T21:28:29Z")

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Is that something all over India?

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**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364/4 "2013-05-27T01:23:03Z")

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I’ve never been to south India, but I thought it was common all over India. I think you’ll see people touching Ghandi’ s feet in the movie.

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**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-greeting-gesture-at-an-indian-akhada/659364/5 "2013-05-27T04:36:08Z")

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> [@TexCat](#):
>
> The traditional greeting of an elder is to touch their feet, showing respect. The wrestlers seem to be paying homage to this tradition without quite reaching down as far as the feet. Usually you would say "pranam“ and the elder says “kushro“ which I’ve always thought meant something like bless you, child.

You’re right that these guys are doing a casual version of a common form of greeting elders in India. In the actual version you’re supposed to bend down and touch their feet and they give you a blessing. What you think was ‘Kushro’ is actually ‘Khush Raho’ which literally translates to “Stay happy” and it is basically a stock ‘blessing’.