Modi gifts sandalwood box with ‘das danams’ to Biden

 

 

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his first state visit to the US gifted ‘das danam’ in a handcrafted sandalwood box that highlights the value and respect Indian tradition associates with experience, to US President Joe Biden. Modi gave President Biden the unique sandalwood box sourced from Mysore with intricately carved flora and fauna patterns and handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur during an intimate dinner at the White House on Wednesday. The box contains the idol of Lord Ganesha, a Hindu deity considered the destroyer of obstacles and the one who is worshipped first among all Gods, and its silver form has been handcrafted by a family of fifth-generation silversmiths of Kolkata, officials said. Ancient Indian text mentions that an individual becomes ‘Drishta Sahasrachandro’ or the one who has seen one thousand full moons when he completes the age of 80 years and eight months, a milestone President Biden will reach next month.

 

“The life spanning one thousand full moons is considered to be an important milestone in the Hindu way of life. The gap between two full moons is about 29.53 days, so the time span covered by a thousand full moons would be approximately 29,530 days or 80 years and 8 months,” a press note said. Modi’s gift underscores the traditional respect associated with a person’s experience and is significant at a time when President Biden’s is turning 80 next month. 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). Another gift to Biden is a tribute to the US president’s admiration for Irish poet William Butler Yeats.

 

Biden has often quoted poetry from Yeats and made references to his writings and poetry in his public speeches, officials said, adding that Yeats had a deep admiration for India and was greatly influenced by Indian spirituality. His friendship and admiration for Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore is well-known and he helped popularise Gurudev’s Gitanjali in the Western world, officials said. Yeats’ admiration for Indian spirituality was much deeper and he was deeply influenced by the Upanishads and other ancient knowledge streams of India, they said. 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 inscribed on it.

 

The box includes 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 includes 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.

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a private dinner at the White House. The dinner included a few of the US President’s favourite foods, including pasta and ice cream. Joe Biden, Jill Biden and PM Modi enjoyed a musical tribute to the regions of India, performed by youth dancers from Studio Dhoom, a DMV-based Indian dance studio that helps connect a new generation to the vibrant culture of Indian dance, according to the White House.