PM Modi gifts Gulabi Meenakari brooch and cuff links to Biden. What is this artform?

During the 48th G-7 summit in Germany, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Gulabi Meenakari brooch and cufflink set to US President Joe Biden. The cufflinks were gifted with a matching brooch for the US First Lady.

The G-7 summit started on June 26 and will come to an end on Tuesday.

What is Gulabi Meenakari?

Gulabi Meenakari is an art form from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. In this art form, metal surfaces are coloured by fusing colours.

It is one of the rarest crafts in India which you can find near Gai Ghat in Varanasi. Persian enamellists introduced this art form in Varanasi in the 17th century.

Not just jewellery, this art form is also practiced on home decor pieces too.

The names of the art pieces depend on the usage of the colours. Panch Rangi Meena is the one in which five colours including red, white, light blue, green and dark brown are used.

Whereas, Ek Rang Khula Meena is the one with only gold outline and transparent colours.

Similary, Gulabi Meena is the one in which pink is the dominant colour.

What were other items gifted by PM Modi?

PM Modi chose gifts for foreign dignitaries that showcased Indian culture. Other than the Gulabi Meenakari, he gifted various other things during the summit. Here are some of these:

1. Moonj baskets and cotton durries for Senegal President Macky Sall.

2. Itra bottles in zardozi box for French President Emmanuel Macron.

3. Platinum-painted and hand-printed tea set for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

4. A Kashmiri silk carpet for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

5. Black pottery pieces from Nizamabad in UP for Japan's Prime Minister Kishida.

6. Dokra art with Ramayana theme from Chhattisgarh for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.