Sandalwood box with 'Das Danam': Significance of the gift PM Modi presented to President Biden

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a special sandalwood box with ‘Das Danam’ to US President Joe Biden as the Bidens hosted him for a private dinner at the White House on Wednesday.

The ‘Das Danam’ has significance in Hindu way of life and symbolises Hindu rituals.

To put it in context, ancient Indian text 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 eighty years and eight months.

The life spanning one thousand full moons or ‘Sahasra Poorna Chandrodayam’ 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 29530 days or 80 years and 8 months.

At this stage of life, the individual (who has seen one thousand full moons) is honoured and celebrated for the sheer experience of human life. An elaborate set of Vedic rituals are performed such as Vinayak Pooja-prayers to Lord Ganesha, culminating in Poornaahuti
(oblation to the scared 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 ten different kinds, that 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).

The special sandalwood box has been handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The sandalwood sourced from Mysore, Karnataka has intricately carved flora and fauna patterns.

Sandalwood carving in Rajasthan is an ancient art that has been handed down from generation to generation.

The artisan has skillfully embedded a piece of his story and a touch of passion into this work to produce a piece of finest craftsmanship

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. Every auspicious occasion begins with prayers to Lord Ganesha. This silver idol of Ganesha has been handcrafted by a family of fifth generation silversmiths of Kolkata.

A diya (oil lamp) occupies a sacred space in every Hindu household where daily prayers are offered by lighting cotton wick dipped in oil. 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.

The handcrafted delicate silver boxes contain symbolic – ‘Das Danam’ or the ten donations, which signifies the donations made on this occasion.

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)

Til or white sesame seeds sourced from Tamil Nadu, offered for Tildaan (donation of sesame
seeds).

Handcrafted in Rajasthan, this 24K pure and hallmarked gold coin is offered as Hiranyadaan
(donation of gold).

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).

Gud or Jaggery sourced from Maharashtra is offered for Guddaan (donation of jaggery).

This 99.5% 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 also gifted President 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.

In 1937, WB Yeats published an English translation of the Indian Upanishads, co-authored with Shri Purohit Swami. The translation and collaboration between the two authors occurred throughout 1930s and it was one of the final works of Yeats.

With inputs from agencies

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