Subject: Out of town pool report #3 — Raj Ghat
Motorcade was rolling from the presidential palace at 10:17 a.m. and, after a short ride down completely empty streets, arrived at 10:31 at Raj Ghat, the open-air memorial where Gandhi was cremated after being assassinated in 1948.
Pool, after ditching our shoes, scurried into place to watch POTUS and FLOTUS who appeared at 10:40 and walked toward the center of a grassy, stone wall-enclosed garden, where a glass enclosed flame is lit at the memorial, which is draped with orange and yellow marigolds. Indian music played on a loudspeaker as crows cawed loudly overhead.
POTUS and FLOTUS, who also shed their shoes and walked in socks — black and white, respectively — followed behind a man and woman carrying a large white wreath, which was placed in front of the memorial. They then stood over it, touching the wreath and standing quietly for 20 seconds or so. Then they moved around, and scattered five handfuls of pink rose petals (pic below courtesy of AP’s Jonathan Lemire) on the black marble memorial.
Pool was directed back to the front gates around 10:42, past a guest book — we were a good distance away when he came back to it a moment later, sat down and signed it.
At 10:50, POTUS and FLOTUS walked over to a plot behind the front wall and took part in a tree planting ceremony that was very brief (did not see any trees being planted).
Pool now loaded back into vans, rolling shortly to Hyderabad House.
Subject: Out of town pool report #2 — welcome ceremony
PM Modi’s motorcade pulled in at 9:54 a.m. local. He stepped out of a black BMW, walked over and stood on the red carpet beneath the canopy facing the palace. The president of India, Ram Nath Kovind, arrived moments later and he took a seat beside Modi.
Cannons sounded at 10:02 heralding POTUS’s arrival, as the motorcade pulled in the main gates to the palace, led by an Indian mounted guard, bayonet carrying soldiers on brown horses wearing long red coats and blue and gold turbans.
Modi appeared to go greet POTUS as he stepped out of the car (slightly out of view of the pool) and led FLOTUS, in a white dress and red belt, to a seat beneath the canopy. POTUS, in a dark suit and red tie, walked to the center of the infield and stood alone on a reviewing platform under a square canopy, hand on his heart, while the band played the Star Spangled Banner, followed by the Indian national anthem.
After twice saluting a lead general who’d been yelling marching orders, Trump walked alone down the red carpet to the far side of the palace facade and then turned back, passing by the line of soldiers as the military band played another song. Then he turned back toward the official delegation, shaking hands first with the president and then PM Modi. Then he made his way down the line, shaking hands with the Indian officials seated up the row from the U.S. delegation.
He continued through, with the Indian president ahead of him, shaking hands with his own staff, daughter and son in law. Then they turned back towards their vehicles.
We are hustling back to vans to head to the next event at 10:14. Rolling now.
Pregame notes:
The official WH party arrived around 9:35 — Wilbur Ross, Stephanie Grisham, Robert O’Brien, Emma Doyle, Ambassador Kenneth Juster, Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner walked in a moment later. There appeared to be some gramming happening on the red carpet before things got started.
Then a long procession of military marchers, grouped by uniform color — first baby blue, then white, then olive green — entered with a band playing behind them and then stood at attention in front of the presidential palace.