Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day state visit to the United States gifted special presents to President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden after arriving at the White House in Washington DC on Wednesday.
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He presented President Biden a copy of the first edition print of the book, ‘The Ten Principal Upanishads’ published by Faber and Faber Ltd of London. In 1937, WB Yeats published an English translation of the Indian Upanishads, co-authored with Shri Purohit Swami. The translation and collaboration between the two authors occurred throughout 1930s and it was one of the final works of Yeats.
The list also features a special sandalwood box with intricately carved flora and fauna patterns which handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur, Rajasthan while the sandalwood was sourced from Mysore, Karnataka.
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PM Modi also gifted an idol of Lord Ganesha and a silver diya (oil lamp) that have been handcrafted by the artisans from the family of fifth-generation silversmiths in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Highlighting the customary of Das Danam or donations of ten different kinds–Gaudaan (cow), Bhudaan (land), Tildaan (sesame seeds), Hiranyadaan (gold), Ajyadaan (ghee or clarified butter), Dhaanyadaan (food grains), Vastradaan (clothes), Guddaan (jaggery), Raupyadaan (silver) and Lavandaan (salt)– during ‘Sahasra Poorna Chandrodayam‘ celebrations, PM Modi presented these ten donations in the sandalwood box which includes:
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A delicately handcrafted silver coconut by the skilled artisans of West Bengal, offered in place of a Cow (donation of cow).
A fragrant piece of sandalwood sourced from Mysore, Karnataka, offered in place of land (donation of land).
Til or white sesame seeds sourced from Tamil Nadu, offered for Tildaan (donation of sesame seeds).
A 24 carat pure and hallmarked gold coin, handcrafted in Rajasthan, offered as Hiranyadaan (donation of gold).
A 99.5% pure and hallmarked silver coin, aesthetically crafted by Rajasthan artisans, offered as Raupyadaan (donation of silver).
Lavan or salt from Gujarat, offered for Lavandaan (donation of salt).
Meanwhile, PM Modi gifted a lab-grown 7.5-carat green diamond to US First Lady Jill Biden. The diamond reflects earth-mined diamonds’ chemical and optical properties. It is also eco-friendly, as eco-diversified resources like solar and wind power were used in its making. It is a beacon of responsible luxury that symbolises India’s 75 years of freedom and sustainable International relations.
He further presented Papier mâché, the box in which the Green Diamond was placed. Known as kar-e-kalamdani, Kashmir’s exquisite Papier mâché involves sakthsazior meticulous preparation of paper pulp and naqqashi, where skilled artisans paint elaborate designs.
On the other hand, the first couple of the United States gifted a handmade, antique American book galley from the early 20th Century as the official gift to the Prime Minister along with a vintage American camera, accompanied by an archival facsimile print of George Eastman’s Patent of the first Kodak camera, a hardcover book on American wildlife photography, and a signed, first edition copy of ‘Collected Poems of Robert Frost’.
PM Modi arrived at the White House in Washington DC for the second leg of his official state visit on Wednesday where Modi had a private engagement with the Bidens along with an intimate dinner, a day before the high-profile state dinner.
(With inputs from ANI)
