ନମସ୍କାର
namaskāra/n̪ɔmɔskaɾɔ/
ନମସ୍କାର (namaskāra) is the Odia way to say namaskar.
ନମସ୍କାର is a respectful greeting used both when meeting someone and when parting from them to say goodbye.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ନମସ୍କାର is a compound of nama, meaning bow or obeisance and skāra, meaning to do or make, literally translating to to make a bow.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ନମସ୍କାର is the most common and widely used formal greeting in Odia. It is a respectful way to address elders, teachers or strangers.
How do you pronounce it?
namaskāra (/n̪ɔmɔskaɾɔ/)
When do people say it?
While ନମସ୍କାର is the standard formal greeting, another common way to greet someone in Odia is to say Jay Jagannath, which refers to Lord Jagannath.
Did you know?
- In very traditional Odia households, a younger person might perform 'Pranama' by touching the feet of an elder instead of a standing ନମସ୍କାର.
- The gesture of ନମସ୍କାର can be modified by touching the forehead after the palms meet to show a higher level of reverence to a spiritual leader or elder.
- The term ନମସ୍କାର is conceptually linked to the idea of 'surrendering' the ego of the speaker to the person they are greeting.
Examples in context
- ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର।Apananku namaskara.Greetings to you.
- ଶୁଭ ସକାଳ, ନମସ୍କାର।Shubha sakala, namaskara.Good morning, namaskar.
- ସେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର କଲେ।Se samastanku namaskara kale.He greeted everyone.
Example conversation
Two colleagues meet in an office hallway.
- ଅନନ୍ୟା Ananyaନମସ୍କାର, ସୁମିତ ଭାଇ!Namaskar, Sumit bhai!Hello, brother Sumit!
- ସୁମିତ Sumitନମସ୍କାର ଅନନ୍ୟା, କେମିତି ଅଛ?Namaskar Ananya, kemiti acha?Hello Ananya, how are you?
- ଅନନ୍ୟା Ananyaମୁଁ ଭଲ ଅଛି, ଧନ୍ୟବାଦ।Mu bhala achi, dhanyabada.I am fine, thank you.
- ସୁମିତ Sumitଠିକ୍ ଅଛି, ମୁଁ ପରେ ଦେଖା କରିବି।Thik achi, mu pare dekha karibi.Alright, I will see you later.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ନମସ୍କାର, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
