It all began with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraging his countrymen to adopt Namaste, the Indian way of greeting, instead of the normal handshake as one of the measures to prevent the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a meeting at the Knesset | AP

According to media accounts, American President Donald Trump and visiting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar greeted each other in the traditional Indian way of namaste at the White House in Washington on March 12, which they said was necessary in the current times of coronavirus.

Trump and Varadkar, who is of Indian-origin, joined their palms in the namaste pose when reporters asked them in the Oval Office as to how they greeted each other.

"We did not shake hands today. We looked at each other and said what we are going to do. You know, sort of a weird feeling," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House along with Varadkar.



Donald Trump meets Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office of the White House. (Photo: Reuters)

In England, Prince Charles used the greeting at a Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey on Monday, and again adopted the non-contact gesture at the Prince's Trust Awards on Wednesday.

The Baroness Benjamin from London is made a Dame Commander of the British Empire by the Prince of Wales during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London. Thursday March 12 2020. Yui Mok/PA

Baroness Floella Benjamin mirrored the namaste greeting when she collected her damehood from Charles on Thursday.