Special gifts, including a lab-grown 7.5-carat green diamond, vintage American camera and antique book galley were exchanged between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
The gifts were exchanged during the private dinner hosted by Joe Biden and Jill Biden for PM Modi at the White House on Wednesday (local time).
Modi, who is on his first state visit to the US, gifted a handcrafted sandalwood box with ‘das danam’ to US President Joe Biden and a lab-grown green diamond to First Lady Jill Biden.
The special sandalwood box presented to the US president has been handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur, Rajasthan. The sandalwood sourced from Mysore, Karnataka has intricately carved flora and fauna patterns, officials said.
The box contains a silver idol of Lord Ganesha, the Hindu deity considered the destroyer of obstacles and the one who is worshipped first among all gods. The idol has been handcrafted by a family of fifth-generation silversmiths from Kolkata.
The box also contains a diya (oil lamp) that occupies a sacred space in every Hindu household. This silver diya has also been handcrafted by artisans from the family of fifth-generation silversmiths in Kolkata. The copper plate also called tamper-Patra has been sourced from Uttar Pradesh and a shloka has been inscribed on it.
The handcrafted delicate silver boxes contain symbolic – ‘Das Danam’ or the ten donations which denote the donations made on the occasion when a person becomes ‘Drishta Sahasrachandro’ or the one who has seen one thousand full moons when he completes the age of eighty years and eight months.
At this stage of life, the individual (who has seen one thousand full moons) is honoured and celebrated for the sheer experience of human life. During Sahasra Poorna Chandrodayam celebrations, there is a custom of ‘Das Danam’ or donations of ten different kinds, which include – 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).
The handcrafted delicate silver boxes gifted by PM Modi to the US President, who turns 81 this November, contain ten donations, which denote the donations made on the occasion.
The box contains a delicately handcrafted silver coconut by the skilled artisans of West Bengal is offered in place of a Cow for Gaudaan (donation of cow). A fragrant piece of sandalwood sourced from Mysore, Karnataka is offered in place of land for Bhudaan (donation of land).
The box also contains Til or white sesame seeds sourced from Tamil Nadu is offered for Tildaan (donation of sesame seeds). Handcrafted in Rajasthan, this 24K pure and hallmarked gold coin is offered as Hiranyadaan (donation of gold).
The box also contains ghee or clarified butter sourced from Punjab is offered for Ajyadaan (donation of clarified butter). A handwoven textured tussar silk cloth sourced from Jharkhand is offered for Vastradaan (donation of cloth). Long-grained rice sourced from Uttarakhand are offered for Dhaanyadaan (donation of food grains).
Jaggery sourced from Maharashtra is offered for Guddaan (donation of jaggery). The 99.5 per cent pure and hallmarked silver coin has been aesthetically crafted by Rajasthan artisans and is offered as Raupyadaan (donation of silver). Lavan or salt from Gujarat is offered for Lavandaan (donation of salt).
PM Modi gifted a copy of the first edition print of this book ‘The Ten Principal Upanishads’ published by M/s Faber and Faber Ltd of London and printed at the University Press Glasgow to US President Joe Biden.
He 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. The diamond is also eco-friendly, as eco-diversified resources like Solar and wind power were used in its making. He also gifted a ‘papier mache’ box in which the green diamond is placed.
Known as ‘kar-e-kalamdani’, Kashmir’s exquisite Papier mache involves sakthsazior meticulous preparation of paper pulp and naqqashi, where skilled artisans paint elaborate designs.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden presented PM Modi with an official gift- a handmade, antique American book galley from the early 20th century.
According to the White House, the first couple also gifted 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 took to his Twitter handle to thank US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for hosting him at the White House. PM Modi noted that they held “great conversation” on several subjects. PM Modi tweeted, “I thank @POTUS @JoeBiden and @FLOTUS @DrBiden for hosting me at the White House today. We had a great conversation on several subjects.