Anjali Hasta

In Indian dance, sculpture, and ritual,
the anjali hasta is a particular hand
gesture (hasta) in which the palms of the
two hands are joined together with the
fingers pointing upward, often with the
base of the thumbs resting against the
chest. This gesture conveys respect and
prayerful devotion.
In modern India this is also the
most common gesture of greeting and
salutation. Since traditional Indian society
was (and to some extent, remains) so
intensely conscious of purity, it is not
surprising that this greeting can convey
respect without requiring one to touch
another person, which could transmit
impurity (ashaucha) from one person
to another.