Modi gifts Xi a charkha

'He also presented a facsimile of the scroll that was given to Gandhiji in Johannesburg in 1908 by the Chinese community there. I think that was quite a thoughtful gift,' Sabarmati Ashram Director Tridip Suhrud tells Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com

Tridip Suhrud, director of the Sabarmati Ashram and a well-known Gandhi scholar, was present when President Xi Jinping visited the ashram on Wednesday, September 17. He spoke exclusively to Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com about the Chinese leader's visit.

It was important that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping could spend time together at the Gandhi Ashram. One of our trustees, Kartikeya Sarabhai, received President Xi when he arrived. Prime Minister Modi led President Xi through the entire ashram, through the museum and showed him pictures of Gandhiji in Ahmedabad and the national movement.

Then they arrived at Hridaykunj. Both leaders were at the ashram for a little over 22 minutes. None of the ashram staff were present. The leaders only had two interpreters with them. The prime minister spoke in Hindi. That was the protocol laid out.

The prime minister knew the ashram's layout very well. He was familiar with the ashram so he led President Xi around. None of us were present so we don't know what President Xi appreciated. Some of us were present when the prime minister and President Xi arrived at Hridaykunj.

We carried gifts from the prime minister and also from the Sabarmati Ashram to the portico. President Xi only interacted with the prime minister so we don't know the details. Both leaders were at the exhibition 'Gandhiji in Ahmedabad' where Gandhiji's life in Ahmedabad is depicted and also his engagement with the institutions of the city he was associated with. The prime minister led the President through that gallery.

Later, the prime minister showed the president a charkha. Both of them sat on the floor and the prime minister showed the president how a charkha works.

I found Xi quite at ease; his wearing a white Nehru jacket made all the difference. It was a big thing to do on his part. We don't know, yet, what he wrote in the visitor's book. Its written in Chinese.

The prime minister presented books and a charkha to President Xi. He also presented a facsimile of the scroll that was given to Gandhiji in Johannesburg in 1908 by the Chinese community there. I think that was quite a thoughtful gift.

On the ashram's behalf, the prime minister gave President Xi an oil painting depicting the Dandi March, by artist Dinu Patel. It is a small painting, around 3 feet by 4 feet. It is based on Chandu Shah's larger oil painting. Chandubhai has done the picture gallery at the ashram. There are a large number of his paintings at the ashram.