The Indian head wobble, head bobble or head shake refers to a common gesture found in South Asian cultures, most notably in India. The motion usually consists of a side-to-side tilting of the head in arcs. A form of nonverbal communication, it may mean yes, good, maybe, okay or I understand … depending on the context. It can also serve as an alternative to thank you, as a polite introduction, or it can represent respectful acknowledgement.
The head wobble has its origins in an ancient form of dance in South India called Bharatanatyam. The head gesture known as Parivahitam (one of nine types of head movement) involves shaking the head to the left and right and signifies harmony. This is the reason why the gesture could be more prominent and intense in the South of India and reduces in intensity as one travels North.
Not all Indian head movements are mysterious. Nodding up and down still means YES, and nodding from side to side a la table fan still means NO … the same as for Westerners.
The wobble on the other hand is like the movement of an inverted pendulum. This is not an emphatic YES, and is certainly not binary. It is what is sometimes referred to as a “harmony yes”.
The gesture is subconsciously about harmonising with others. As a response to a work related question such as “Can you finish this by Friday?” the gesture, which may or may not be accompanied with a verbal yes, simply means “I shall certainly attempt to”.
In addition, according to Hemant Rangan in a 21 March 2021 LinkedIn post, the following conscious and subconscious thoughts may be involved:
- I will most certainly attempt to finish it, but if something happens and I am not able to do it, that’s karma.
- I will use my best “Jugaad” (hack or innovative, out of the box solution) to finish it.
- Be happy for now. Relax, do not stress, a delay won't kill anyone.
Indeed, head wobbles can also be used in an intentionally vague manner, and an unenthusiastic head wobble can be a polite way of declining something without saying no directly.
A harmony yes is neither a confirmation nor a commitment. There are many variations of the same wobble which convey subtle differences in meaning, some of which may be found in Rangan’s 2021 book The Indian Mind At Work: Decoding the Indian mind to enhance India Global Collaborations.
Finally, it should be pointed out that most Indians are completely unaware that they wobble their heads while talking. Having said this, bemused Westerners have pointed out the collective habit time and time again. So much so that the head wobble has become somewhat of a marker for Indians when they go abroad.
Go forth and wobble.
Story Idea: George Lombard
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References
wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_bobble
linkedin.com/pulse/understanding-india-decoding-head-wobble-hemant-rangan
indiatimes.com/trending/wtf/indian-head-wobble-history
renyoga.com/blog/the-indian-nod-head-bobble
Images
1. Indian Head Wobble. Credits: Sailaja Talkies (photos) and Hemant Rangan (diagram).
2. Indian flag
3. The Indian NO and Harmony YES. Credit: Hemant Rangan.
4. Bharatanatyam dancer
6. Bharatanatyam head movements, including Parivahitam
6. Video: Why Do Indians Wobble Their Heads? by Anpu, 2020
7. Video: Sailaja's Tutorial - How to do the Indian head bobble, Sailaja Talkies, 2016
8. Book: The Indian Mind At Work: Decoding the Indian mind to enhance India Global Collaborations, Hemant Rangan, 2021
