Tokyo: Showcasing a perfect blend of timeless Indian artistry and Japanese culinary tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a set of vintage precious stone bowls with silver chopsticks to his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba during his two-day Japan visit which concluded on Saturday.
Featuring a large brown moonstone bowl with four smaller ones and silver chopsticks, it draws inspiration from Japan’s donburi and soba rituals.
The moonstone, sourced from Andhra Pradesh, glows with adularescence and symbolises love, balance, and protection, while the base of the main bowl is Makrana marble inlaid with semi-precious stones in the traditional ‘parchin kari’ style of Rajasthan.
PM Modi also gifted a Pashmina shawl in a hand-painted papier mache box to the spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan.
The Pashmina shawl, made from the fine wool of the Changthangi goat in Ladakh, is valued worldwide for being light, soft, and warm. Handwoven by Kashmiri artisans, it carries a centuries-old tradition once cherished by royalty. The shawl has an ivory base with delicate floral and paisley patterns in rust, pink, and red, showing classic Kashmiri design and craftsmanship.
It comes in a hand-painted papier-mache box decorated with floral and bird motifs, adding to its beauty and cultural value. Together, the shawl and box represent Kashmir’s artistry, heritage, and timeless elegance.
On Friday, Prime Minister Modi was presented a Daruma doll by Rev Seishi Hirose, Chief Priest of the Shorinzan Daruma-Ji temple, Takasaki-Gunma. The special gesture reaffirmed the close civilizational and spiritual ties between India and Japan.
The Daruma doll is considered auspicious and a good luck charm in Japanese culture. Takasaki City in Gunma is the birthplace of the famous Daruma dolls. The Daruma tradition in Japan is based on the legacy of Bodhidharma, an Indian monk from Kancheepuram, known in Japan as Daruma Daishi, who is said to have travelled here over a thousand years ago.
(IANS)
