Tokyo, Aug 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a two-day official trip to Japan (August 29 – 30) for attending the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, was presented with a special gift – the traditional Daruma doll on Friday.

The Daruma doll was presented to PM Modi by the Chief Priest of Darumji Temple, Rev Seishi Hirose.

The Daruma doll is an iconic cultural symbol and souvenir of Japan, and has been modelled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. It is known as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, often used to represent setting and achieving goals.

Unlike other figurines, the Daruma doll is a hollow object painted in bright colours, often red and gold.

It has been modelled after Bodhidharma, the Indian monk credited with founding Zen Buddhism and later inspiring multiple Japanese traditions.

Daruma and its connection with India:

The Daruma is based on Bodhidharma, an Indian monk from Kancheepuram, known in Japan as Daruma Daishi. It is widely believed that Bodhidharma meditated for nine years, facing a wall, with his limbs folded. That is why the Drauma doll has a peculiar, round shape with no limbs and no eyes.

The Daruma doll also symbolises the virtue of never giving up.

According to popular Japanese belief, when someone sets a goal for themselves, they use a Daruma doll as a good omen. They paint one of the two eyes while making that wish, and when the goal is accomplished, they paint the other one to mark their success.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi met former Japanese Prime Ministers Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida in Tokyo.

He also addressed the India-Japan Economic Forum, where he pitched for a partnership in areas of manufacturing, technology, innovation, green energy, and skill development. He said that the world is not just watching India but also counting on it.

–IANS

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