Delaware: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day visit to the United States, gifted an antique silver hand-engraved train model to US President Joe Biden. He met Biden in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware, ahead of the QUAD Summit.
The train model, made of 92.5% silver, was customised with the inscription reading ‘DELHI-DELAWARE’ on the sides of the main carriage. Another inscription read: ‘INDIAN RAILWAYS’ on the sides of the engine in English and Hindi. It has been crafted by artisans from Maharashtra.
Modi gifted Pashmina Shawl in Papier Mache box to the First Lady of USA, Jill Biden. Pashmina shawls are woven in Jammu and Kashmir. It is made from the wool of Changthangi goat, native to the high altitudes of Ladakh.
The ‘Pashm’ or the wool is an incredibly fine and soft fiber, which is hand-combed. Skilled artisans spin the wool into yarns, often by hand. They use traditional techniques, passed down through generations, to shape up the shawls.
Natural dyes derived from plants and minerals add vibrant hues to the fabric. Pashmina shawls traditionally come packed in Papier Mâché boxes from Jammu and Kashmir. These boxes are handmade and are known for excellent display of craftsmanship. These are made of paper pulp, glue, and other natural materials. These boxes not only serve as a utility product but are also decorative items in their own right.