Trump, Melania to be accorded traditional welcome

United States President Donald Trump and First lady Melania Trump are likely to be accorded a traditional welcome complete with the traditional 'teeka', garlands and stole at the ITC Maurya here on Monday night, sources said.

The five-star hotel, symbolised by the distinctive logo of hands folded in the traditional 'Namaste', will harp on its own branding and the fact that 'Namaste Trump' has been trending all over.

The entire hotel will resonate with the theme of 'Namaste'.

According to the sources, the President of the United States (POTUS) and First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) will be welcomed with traditional 'teeka', 'thali' laden with flowers and stoles after they arrive at the hotel on Monday.

They said women dressed in traditional attire will greet the Trumps.

A similar traditional Indian welcome was accorded to former US president Barack Obama when he came to India twice, once during 2010 and the second time in 2015, as the chief guest of India's Republic Day celebrations.

The Trumps will be staying in the Grand Presidential Suite, known as 'Chanakya'.

The suite has hosted several heads of states including former US presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

The premium hotel, however, remained tight-lipped about the special arrangements made to welcome the Trumps.

A multi-tier security arrangement comprising the Delhi Police, US Secret Service and other agencies is in place in the national capital.

At the five-star property, a three-layer security will be in place.

The hotel, located in Diplomatic Enclave in Chanakyapuri, will have police personnel in plain clothes patrolling every floor.

The US President's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner will also be part of the high-level delegation accompanying him during his visit to India.

The US president will arrive in Ahmedabad on February 24 for a little less than 36-hour India trip.

From Ahmedabad, the US president will travel to Agra to have a glimpse of the iconic Taj Mahal.

The Trump family will spend about an hour at the Taj Mahal before sunset. Then they will leave for Delhi for the main leg of the visit.

On the morning of February 25, Trump and the First Lady would be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

From there, they would go to Rajghat to pay homage at the 'samadhi' of Mahatma Gandhi.

It would be followed by restricted and delegation-level talks between Trump and Modi at Hyderabad House.