What are the general dos and donts for greeting in Ladakh ?
The general greeting is Namaste (nah-mahs-tay). You can do this for Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening. While saying Namaste hold your palms together at chin level and nod (never bow) your head. In major cities, men usually shake hands, while women use the more traditional greeting. In general, you can shake hands with men and say Namaste to women. Ji is used following a name as a sign of respect, e.g., Gandhi-ji. Note that a Hindu may greet a man by adding sahib (sir or master) to the name (Mr.Jones-sahib) and woman by adding ji(Miss Jones-ji) as a sign of respect. Dont use first names unless you know someone very well. Use Mr., Mrs., or Miss”. Use titles such as Professor and Doctor, and use Sir or Madam with a superior/elders. Only people of the same sex can hug one another.