From Gulabi Meenakari to Kashmiri carpet, PM Narendra Modi's gifts to Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, other G7 leaders showcase India's rich art and crafts - See pics

For foreign leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often chosen gifts that showcase India's rich cultural and artistic traditions. It was no different this time as he picked a variety of distinct artistic products for the heads of governments who attended the G7 Summit.

French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly received Attar (Itr) bottles in the Zardozi box as a gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to news agency ANI, the carrier box has been crafted in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The zari zardozi box has been hand embroidered on khadi silk and satin tissue in colours of the French National Flag and included Attar Mitti, Jasmine oil, Attar Shamama, Attar Gulab, Exotic Musk, and Garam Masala.

 

To his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister Modi gifted hand-knotted Kashmiri silk carpets, which are famous all over the world for their softness and craftsmanship.

 

PM Modi gifted a marble inlay table top to Italy PM Mario Draghi.

Pietra dura or Marble inlay has its origins in the Opus sectile- a form of pietra dura popularized in the ancient and medieval Roman world where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern. This marble table top with Inlay work has its origin in Agra of Taj Mahal fame.

This particular table top is reportedly made of semi-precious stones with gradients in their colour, making it very similar to Italian marble inlay work.

 

US President Joe Biden, who walked up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to greet him at Germany’s Schloss Elmau ahead of the G7 Summit, received Gulabi Meenakari brooch and cufflink set as gifts.

Gulabi Meenakari is a GI-tagged art form of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

A piece of pure silver is molded into a base form, and the chosen design is embossed in the metal. The embossed shapes are then filled with great dexterity with crushed meena glass mixed with an intriguing natural anardana (pomegranate seeds) glue. The paint is fired layer by layer for permanence.

 

The motifs primarily use the colour pink (Gulabi), which lends its name to the craft. These cufflinks were prepared for the President with a matching brooch for the First Lady, Jill Biden.

 

PM Modi gifted a Metal Marodi carving matka to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

This nickel-coated, hand-engraved brass vessel is a masterpiece from District Moradabad, which is also known as the Peetal Nagari or "brass city" of Uttar Pradesh. 

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Black Pottery pieces to his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

The Black Pottery of Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh uses a special technique to bring out black colours- while the pottery is inside the oven, it is ensured that there is no scope for oxygen to enter the oven and the heat level remains high. 

 

Prime Minister Modi gifted a platinum-painted, hand-painted tea set from Bulandhshahr, Uttar Pradesh to British PM Boris Johnson.

The crockery reportedly is outlined with platinum metal paint in honour of the Queen`s platinum jubilee being celebrated this year.

 

Other than G7 leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union, PM Modi also gifted items to leaders from Indonesia, South Africa, Senegal and Argentina.

PM Modi gifted Moonj baskets and cotton durries to Senegal President Macky Sall.

Moonj is a wonderful example of utilitarian handicrafts made with sustainably sourced material. Like Senegalese baskets, Moonj craft also utilizes bright, jewel-tone colours. This particular piece is reportedly by a master craftswoman from Prayagraj in UP.

The blades of the sarpat grass used here are much thinner, making them more difficult to weave. The cotton Durries are hand woven in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh. The art of Manjak loincloth weaving is similar to shuttle handloom work done in Sitapur durrie making. The beauty of this particular piece is the thin width of its loom which increases the work out into the Durrie threefold.

Prime Minister Modi gifted Dokra Art with Ramayana Theme to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Dokra Art is non-ferrous metal casting art using the lost-wax casting technique. This sort of metal casting has been used in India for over 4,000 years and is still used.

This particular art piece from Chattisgarh is based on the Ramayan theme. The principal characters in the artwork are Lord Shri Ram riding an Elephant along with Lakshman, Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman.

 

PM Narendra Modi gifted lacquerware Ram Durbar to Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

The GI-tagged lacquerware art-form has its roots in the temple town of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

 

PM Modi gifted Nandi-themed Dokra Art to Argentina President Alberto Fernandez.

This particular art piece from Chattisgarh is a figure of `Nandi - The Meditative Bull`.

According to Hindu mythology Nandi is considered the vehicle (mount) of Lord Shiva, the lord of destruction.

In front of every Shiva temple, on the court facing the shrine, you can see an image of a Nandi.