Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, his first since December 2021, ended on a memorable note as President Droupadi Murmu hosted a grand banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The evening followed a warm, high-profile day in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only presented Putin with a Russian edition of the Bhagavad Gita, but was also seen personally driving him during their engagements.

The state dinner stood out for more than its guest list. The entire spread was vegetarian and curated to showcase India’s culinary diversity. The menu featured dishes from across the country: gur sandesh from West Bengal, dal tadka from northern India, murukku from the south, jhol momo from the Himalayan regions, and the much-celebrated gucchi doon chetin from Jammu and Kashmir.

The Kashmiri

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