Highlights:
- Prime Minister Modi presents unique gifts to President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Learn about the thoughtfulness and significance behind these gifts.
- PM Modi gifts a lab-grown 7.5-carat green diamond to First Lady Jill Biden, emphasizing its eco-friendly nature and the use of renewable resources in its creation.
- He also gifted handcrafted silver boxes containing ten symbolic donations to President Biden.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a unique gift to President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. On Thursday, PM Modi gave US President Biden a handcrafted sandalwood box known as ‘das danam’. In addition, he gifted a lab-grown 7.5-carat green diamond to Jill Biden, accompanied by a papier mache box called ‘kar-e-kalamdani’.
The lab-grown green diamond weighs 7.5 carats and possesses similar chemical and optical properties as earth-mined diamonds. This eco-friendly diamond was produced using renewable resources such as solar and wind power. PM Modi presented Jill Biden with a papier mache box named ‘kar-e-kalamdani’ to house the diamond. This box, known for its exquisite craftsmanship called sakthsazi or naqqashi, is made from meticulously prepared paper pulp.
As for President Biden, PM Modi gifted him a handcrafted sandalwood box containing ‘das danam’. ‘Das danam’ refers to ten different types of donations given when a person reaches the age of eighty years and eight months, having witnessed one thousand full moons. 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).
As a gift, PM Modi presented delicate silver boxes to President Joe Biden, who will turn 81 in November. These boxes contain ten donations that symbolize various items given on special occasions.
Inside the box, there is a finely crafted silver coconut from West Bengal, symbolizing a cow for the Gaudaan (donation of a cow) tradition. Instead of land, a fragrant sandalwood piece sourced from Mysore, Karnataka, represents Bhudaan (donation of land). The box also includes white sesame seeds (Til) from Tamil Nadu, representing Tildaan (donation of sesame seeds). For Hiranyadaan (donation of gold), there is a meticulously handcrafted 24K pure and hallmarked gold coin from Rajasthan.
Furthermore, ghee or clarified butter from Punjab is offered for Ajyadaan (donation of clarified butter), while a handwoven textured tussar silk cloth from Jharkhand represents Vastradaan (donation of cloth). Long-grained rice sourced from Uttarakhand symbolizes Dhaanyadaan (donation of food grains).
Jaggery from Maharashtra is included for Guddaan (donation of jaggery). The silver coin, crafted with an aesthetic appeal by artisans from Rajasthan, is 99.5% pure and hallmarked, representing Raupyadaan (donation of silver). Salt (Lavan) from Gujarat signifies Lavandaan (donation of salt).
The sandalwood used in creating the box is sourced from Mysore, Karnataka. The box itself is intricately carved with patterns depicting flora and fauna. Inside is Lord Ganesha’s silver idol, skillfully crafted by a fifth-generation silversmith family from Kolkata. Additionally, the box contains an oil lamp and a copper plate, known as tamper-Patra, sourced from Uttar Pradesh, with a shloka inscribed on it.
PM Modi also gifted President Biden a first edition print of the book “The Ten Principal Upanishads,” published by M/s Faber and Faber Ltd of London.
