Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day visit to the US, exchanged special gifts with US president Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House.

Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an intimate dinner at the White House. The gifts were exchanged during the private dinner.

As the official gifts, PM Modi gave a handcrafted sandalwood box to President Joe Biden, and a green diamond to First Lady Jill Biden. The special sandalwood box presented to Joe Biden has been handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur, Rajasthan. The sandalwood sourced from Mysore, Karnataka has intricately carved flora and fauna patterns.

The box contains the idol of Ganesha, Hindu deity considered as the destroyer of obstacles and the one who is worshipped first among all gods. The silver idol of Ganesha has been handcrafted by a family of fifth generation silversmiths of 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 tampra-patra has been sourced from Uttar Pradesh. A shloka has been inscribed on it. In ancient times tamra-patra was widely used as a medium for writing and record keeping.

Furthermore, the box gifted to the US President includes ten donations or 'das danam', each representing a symbolic offering.

These include -- a delicately handcrafted silver coconut, offered in place of a cow for Gaudaan (donation of a cow), fragrant sandalwood representing land for Bhudaan (donation of land), white sesame seeds for Tildaan (donation of sesame seeds), a 24K pure and hallmarked gold coin for Hiranyadaan (donation of gold), ghee for ajyadaan (donation of clarified butter), a handwoven textured tussar silk cloth for vastradaan (donation of cloth), long grained rice for dhaanyadaan (donation of food grains), gud for donation of jaggery, a 99.5 per cent pure and hallmarked silver coin crafted by Rajasthan artisans for Raupyadaan (donation of silver), and Lavan (salt) from Gujarat, offered for Lavandaan (donation of salt).

PM Modi gifted President Joe Biden a copy of the first edition print of the book “The Ten Principal Upanishads” published by M/s Faber and Faber Ltd of London and printed at the University Press Glasgow.

The prime minister also gifted a lab grown 7.5-carat green diamond to First Lady Jill Biden.