Kashmir's saffron, Darjeeling tea to Kannauj ittar and Sunderbans honey: PM's gifts slices of Indian heritage to G20 leaders

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, September 12

Kashmiri saffron and pashmina to Kannauj ittar and honey from the Sunderbans, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted slices of Indian heritage from all over the country to the G20 leaders.

The presents featured a gift hamper of the following products—Kashmiri saffron and pashmina; Araku coffee from Andhra Pradesh, special honey from the Sunderbans, Darjeeling and Nilgiris teas and Zighrana ittar tastefully packed into sheesham treasure chests.

The curated compilation of handcrafted artefacts and products were meant to reflect Bharat’s rich cultural traditions, government sources said.

Some of the products are the product of centuries of tradition and cherished across the world for their unparalleled workmanship and quality.

These were meticulously created by the hands of master craftsmen. Some other products are the result of the unique bio-diversity of our country. The hamper’s hallmark was the sheeshamwood sandook with brass lining. The treasure chest holds a special place in Indian cultural and folk legends, besides being an epitome of exquisite workmanship.

The chest was handcrafted using sheesham (Indian rosewood), which is valued for its strength, durability, distinctive grain patterns and rich colour. The brass patti (strip) is delicately etched and embedded on to the wood, transforming the piece into a masterpiece of visual delight and tactile splendour.

The chest contained

Red Gold saffron from Kashmir, which is the most exotic and expensive spice in the world.

Across cultures and civilisations, saffron has been valued for its unparalleled culinary and medicinal value.

It is a treasure of nature, both rare and enticing. Each strand of it comprises the stigma of ‘Saffron Crocus’. The stigma’s crimson hue holds the concentrated essence of sun-soaked days and cool nights. Cultivating saffron is a very labour-intensive process. It requires the delicate hand-harvesting of thousands of flowers (each flower contains three crimson stigmas) to yield a mere ounce of the spice.

The Champagne of Teas —Pekoe Darjeeling and Nilgiri Tea is also part of the hamper.

Pekoe Darjeeling and Nilgiri Tea are two illustrious gems from Bharat’s tea tapestry, epitomising the delicate art of tea cultivation and infusion.

Darjeeling tea is the most valued tea in the world. Only tender shoots are handpicked from shrubs, located on the misty hills of West Bengal at altitudes of 3,000-5,000 feet. These nuances, along with the soil’s unique character, get reflected in the highly aromatic and invigourating cup that comes to your table. Nilgiri Tea comes from the most spectacular mountain range in South India cultivated amidst the mountains’ lush terrain at an elevation of 1,000-3,000 feet.

The tea is relatively mild. At the same time, it is renowned for its clean flavour. It is a preferred choice for lemon iced tea.

Araku coffee is the world’s first terroir mapped coffee, grown on organic plantations in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh. These coffee beans bear the essence of the valley’s rich soil and temperate climate.

The coffee plants are cultivated by the valley’s farmers who farm the land in complete harmony with nature. They work by hand in small farms and grow the coffee naturally, without the use of machines or chemicals. This ensures that the coffee is organic and the cultivation is sustainable. What the end user gets is traditional coffee powder/beans directly from a farmer’s house. Pure Arabica with a rare aromatic profile, Araku coffee is known for its unique texture and a symphony of flavours that makes for a smooth, well-balanced cup.

The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, located on the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is home to wild colonies of honeybees. Before the culture of beehive farming, people used to hunt the honeycombs from the wilderness. This tradition of beehive hunting is still practised among the people of Sundarbans.

The distinct and rich flavour profile of Sundarbans honey mirrors the bio-diversity of the area. It blends the nectar of various mangrove flowers like Khalisha, Bani and Garan … to create a harmony of sweet and earthy notes. It is less viscous than other types of honey.

Besides being 100% natural and pure, Sundarban honey is also high in flavonoids and provides valuable health benefits.

Kashmiri Pashmina shawl has many enchanting stories woven into its fabric. ‘Pashm’ means wool in Persian. But in Kashmiri, it refers to the raw unspun wool of the Changthangi goat (the world’s most unique Cashmere goat) found only at a height of 14,000 feet above sea level. The wool is collected by combing (and not shearing) the undercoat of this goat. Skilled artisans hand-spin, weave, and embroider their delicate fibres using age-old processes. The result is a light, warm and intricate shawl that embodies timeless elegance and craftsmanship.

In ancient courts, Pashmina was used as an indicator of rank and nobility. The fabric was an integral part of the rituals of bestowing honour upon anyone.

Zighrana Ittar is a masterpiece of fragrance hailing from Kannauj, a city in Uttar Pradesh. ‘Ittar’ (meaning ‘perfume’) is an essential oil derived from botanical sources. It showcases a centuries-old tradition of exquisite perfume crafting. Skilfully distilled using a method passed down through generations, Ittar is an ode to precision and patience. Master artisans delicately gather rare blossoms like jasmine and roses at dawn, when their fragrance is most potent.

Through the meticulous process of hydro-distillation, the essential oils are extracted and then matured over time, allowing the notes to harmonise and deepen. This alchemical journey culminates in Zighrana Ittar – a fragrant symphony that resonates with the rich heritage of Kannauj. Some niche and artisanal perfumes also incorporate ittar into their creations, for its unique and natural scent profile.

Zighrana ittar transcends time, conjuring up images of ancient bazaars and royal courts, where once its scent graced the air.