Modi, Biden exchange valuable gifts during White House dinner
Customized gift box for US President
PM Modi gifted a customized box to US President Biden. A special sandalwood box was crafted by a master craftsman in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The sandalwood was sourced from Mysore, Karnataka. The box which had ten donation options had intricately crafted flora and fauna patterns.
Das Danam or Ten Donations
During 'Sahasra Poorna Chandrodayam' celebrations, there is a custom of Das Danam or donations of 10 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).
Sacred gifts
The box contains the idol of Lord Ganesha, a Hindu deity. It also contains a diya (oil lamp), which holds a sacred place in Hindu household. Both the idol and the diya have been handcrafted by a family of fifth-generation silversmiths from Kolkata.
Other gifts
The box also contains til or white sesame seeds sourced from Tamil Nadu, offered for Tildaan (donation of sesame seeds), and Lavan or salt from Gujarat which is offered for Lavandaan (donation of salt).
US President's gifts for PM Modi
While PM Modi presented gifts to US President and the First Lady, the Bidens too gave valuable gifts to PM Modi.
White House's gifts for PM Modi
The White House presented PM Modi with a handmade, antique American book galley from the early 20th-century. PM Modi also received a vintage American camera, a hardcover book on American wildlife photography and an archival facsimile print of George Eastman's Patent of the first Kotak camera.
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