briefly, namaste is a traditional hindu greeting meaning "i bow to the divine in you"
In my dealings with immigrants from the subcontinent, I have found that namaste seems to have become universal among them, regardless of their religious affiliation. Where I live, most Indians are either Sikh or Muslim, but namaste still elicits a familiar smile and reciprocation from them. My use of it started as an affectation years ago, inspired by the fact that my father was born and raised in India, but is now entrenched and based on the beauty, elegance and defererence of the gesture. In a town where Indians have been the victims of some hateful crimes, it also helps put them at ease. I wonder if the website's spelling it "namasthay" was meant to indicate that the "t" in "namaste" should be pronounced as an English "th", as in "the", or "thing"? If so, I have definitely learned something today, as I have never heard it pronounced that way.
Salaam
