As soon as you enter the White House you get a sense of the frenzied pace of preparation for Prime Minister Modi's visit, Rediff.com US Contributor Abhijit J Masih discovers on a visit to 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue on Tuesday morning.
Surprisingly, no enthusiastic Indian Americans are spotted outside the White House waving flags or holding signs that are a common sight these last couple of days on the Indian news channels and on Twitter.
Outside the White House visitor's center, there is the usual congregation of regular tourists, a few Indians among them.
The long lines trudging its way through two security check points patiently wait outside the White House on a pleasant and cloudy Tuesday morning.
As soon as you enter the White House campus, you get a sense of the frenzied pace of preparation for Prime Minister Modi's visit.
Even before you enter the gates of the White House, you hear the gunners practicing the 21 gun salute, to be accorded to the Indian leader, for the official welcome ceremony at the White House on Thursday morning.
As you walk through the gates after the security and ID checks and walking past canine units of the Secret Service, you hear the military band on the grounds obscured by the trees surrounding the field.
As you enter the building, you are greeted by a portrait of Nancy Reagan, who in her time as First Lady, had welcomed Indira Gandhi when she visited the White House in 1982.
The South Lawn has been cordoned off and teems with military personnel readying themselves for the State visit.
The Marine Band, also called the President's Own, dressed in red and white uniforms, will provide the music for the full dress rehearsal for the official arrival ceremony on Thursday morning.
The President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will greet Prime Minister Modi on Thursday morning.
Before the official ceremony, the First Lady and Prime Minister Modi will visit the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday, June 21.
The First Lady will highlight career-connected learning and workforce training programmes and partnerships between high schools, community colleges and universities with employers.
During the visit, the First Lady and the prime minister will meet with students from the US and India and participate in a moderated conversation.
Back at the White House, you have had a front row preview of the grand reception that is planned for the prime minister's first State visit to the US and only the third extended by the Biden administration.
Like the South Lawn, the Diplomatic Reception Room, which is used to receive dignitaries and is usually open to visitors, is blocked off.
The State Dining Room, located on the State Floor (first) that can seat 130 guests at a time, is not blocked off yet.
Though much of the room is cordoned off by a rope, much like the other rooms, the preparation party had not moved in to the venue of the State dinner yet.
The First Lady will host a media preview on Wednesday in advance of Thursday evening's State Dinner that will include the presentation of the menu from White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison and guest Chef Nina Curtis.
Much of the preparation on Tuesday morning seems to be centered outdoors and perhaps will move inside the White House later.
There is a red carpet half rolled out on the floor of the adjoining hallway.
The White House, though not yet ready yet, is gearing up to welcome Prime Minister Modi with all the bells and whistles.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
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