Sanjhi Art for US Prez Biden, Rogan Painting for Japanese PM: What PM Modi gifted his Quad friends | Photos

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 3rd Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) summit in Tokyo, Japan along with its other members including US President Joe Biden, Japanese and Australian counterparts Fumio Kishida and Anthony Albanese. The members held discussions on the need to ensure a free, open, and thriving Indo-Pacific region. One of the major outcomes of the summit was Quad aiming for a $50 billion investment for the Indo-Pacific region. PM Modi who had bilateral sessions with other members of the Security Dialogue, just like his recently concluded Europe visit, got gifts for US President, Japanese and Australian counterparts. The gifts which the Prime Minister got for his Quad friends promote India's rich art, craft, and culture in one or the other form. Take a look:

PM Modi gifts Sanjhi Art to US President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden was presented with a painting depicting the Sanji art form. This is a typical art form of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, the legendary home of Lord Krishna.

Sanjhi form of art consists of hand-cutting designs on paper. It consists of traditional motifs from Lord Krishna's stories that are created in stencils. These stencils are cut freehand using a scissor or a blade. The delicate Sanjhi is often held together by thin sheets of paper.

PM Modi gifts Gond Art Painting to Australian PM Anthony Albanese

PM Modi presented the Australian PM Anthony Albanese with Gond paintings which are a famous tribal art form from Madhya Pradesh. The word ‘Gond’ comes from the expression ‘Kond’ which means ‘green mountain’.

These paintings are created by dots and lines and have been a part of pictorial art on the walls and floors of Gonds. This form of painting is done with locally available natural colors and materials like charcoal, colored soil, plant sap, leaves, cow dung, limestone powder, etc. 

Gond art is considered very similar to Aboriginal art of Australia. The Aborigines have their own stories like the Gonds do about creation.

These two art forms are divided by thousands of miles of physical distance between their creators but are closely united and connected in their sentimentality and emotional core which are the definitive features of any art form.

PM Modi gets Wooden Handcarved box with Rogan Painting for Japanese PM Fumio Kishida

PM Modi gifted Japan PM Fumio Kishida a wooden hancrafted box adorned with a Rogan painting. The object is a combination of two different arts-Rogan painting and wooden hand carving.

The Rogan painting is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat. In this craft, the paint is made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes and laid down on fabric using either a metal block (printing) or a stylus (painting). The craft nearly died out in the late 20th century, with Rogan painting being practiced by only one family.

The word ‘Rogan’ comes from Persian, meaning varnish or oil. The process of making Rogan painting is very laborious and skillful. Artists place a small amount of this paint paste into their palms. At room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror image. In effect, it is a very basic form of printing. Previously the designs were simple and rustic in nature but with the passage of time, the craft has become more stylized and now is regarded as a high art form.

Hand carving on wood is an intricate art inspired by traditional jali designs taken from famous monuments of India. The designs are created by the experts in the most synchronized manner. The skill of wood carving is an example of the excellent craftsmanship & rich tradition of India.

Earlier, during a three-nation Europe tour, PM Modi had gifted the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz 'Sedali', a craft that is native to Surat in Gujarat through the Parsi community, who migrated to India from Iran. Sedali is still used as a writing table by many merchants. | READ MORE

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