Looking Beyond Bilaterals: The Art Of Gifting By PM Modi, President Biden

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House for a private dinner he decided to carry gifts marking 80th birthday of President Biden — a milestone he had reached last November. Krishna Yajurveda’s Vaikhanas Grihya Sutram 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. An elaborate set of Vedic rituals are performed such as Vinayak Pooja — prayers to Lord Ganesha, culminating in Poornaahuti (oblation to the sacred fire) Satabhishekam and finally Sahasra Chandra Darshanam or gazing at the 1000th full Moon. During Sahasra Poorna Chandrodayam celebrations, there is a custom of Das Danam or donations of 10 different kinds. The gifts were carried in a special sandalwood box, handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur. It contained the silver idol of Ganesha handcrafted by a family of fifth generation silversmiths of Kolkata. It also included a diya (oil lamp) .It also contained delicate silver boxes containing symbolic – Das Danams or the 10 donations, which signifies the donations made on this occasion.  Among the boxes was this 24K pure and hallmarked gold coin that is offered as Hiranyadaan (donation of gold).