People shake hands more frequently today than they did a few hundred years ago. In ancient times hand was considered as a symbol of power and strength. Primitive man used it to kill animals or fight against his enemies. A gesture with the extended hands was taken to be a gesture of goodwill and friendship by ancient people.
The practice of shaking hands probably originated in ancient Greece. Greeks grayed before their gods with raised hands — a gesture of devotional acts in honour the deity.
Nowadays, handshake has become the most accepted form of greetings and occurs in the most varied cultural areas of the world with a few exceptions. The Japanese, for instance normally do not shake hands; they bow and the degree of bending is related to the amount of respect due to the person being greeted. In India traditional form of greetings is a Namaste with folded hands. In Middle East, people exchange greetings by kissing gently on each other’s extended hands.
However with the passage of time and the influx of Western culture these forms of greetings are not a rule everywhere although these traditions are still in existence among a large number of people in different regions.
A handshake can reveal one’s hidden personality. A firm but smooth grip is considered the best handshake. It sends a message of warmth and friendliness. Handshaking usually accompanies all acts like introduction, farewell, gratitude and congratulation. It is customary to shake every individual hand when formally joining or departing from groups.
The record number of hands shaken by a public figure at an official function was 8513 by President Theodore Roosevelt of USA at a New Year’s Day function on January 1, 1907. However, Scottkillon of Canada holds a handshaking record with over 25000 visitors in just eight hours at the Exhibition of Expo-92 in Seville.