A truly regal red carpet welcome awaits US Vice President JD Vance on his arrival at the Amer royal palace here on Tuesday, as two traditionally adorned tusker beauties, “Chanda” and “Pushpa,” prepare themselves through rehearsals for their special task.
The pair of beautiful she-elephants — well-groomed, dressed in royal attire, and adorned with traditional silver howdahs and jewellery — will be stationed at the Surajpol Gate of the palace alongside the red carpet to welcome the US Second Family on the morning of April 22.
Chanda and Pushpa will offer a ceremonial salute with impressively folded trunks and will also garland Vice President Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, using their trunks.
Rehearsal sessions have been ongoing for a few days; however, on Sunday, a full-dress rehearsal was conducted from Jaleb Chowk to various points within the monument, covering the areas scheduled to be visited by the VVIP family and the accompanying official delegation.
The pair of tuskers, their mahouts, police personnel, palace staff, archaeological department officials, and district administration teams participated in the rehearsal.
All these preparations are part of a broader effort by the state machinery to ensure the smooth and hassle-free conduct of the visit.
The Rajasthan government is determined to make the event memorable and historic for the visiting US dignitaries, aiming to bolster business and investment opportunities for the state.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, while addressing a meeting of senior officials on Saturday to review administrative preparedness, directed them to ensure that “everything goes well.”
Sharma stated, “Vice President Vance’s travel and stay should be decently managed, and our cultural heritage and hospitality should be showcased in a way that leaves a memorable and historic impression, boosting investment in our state.”
Saturday’s meeting was part of a series of preparatory sessions chaired by the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police.
Vice President Vance, his wife Usha Bala Chilukuri Vance, their three children, and a US officials’ delegation will arrive at Jaipur’s Sanganer International Airport on Monday night.
Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will receive the US Second Family at the airport. The foreign dignitaries will then drive directly to the Rambagh Palace Hotel, where a ceremonial reception will be held for them.
On Tuesday morning, the Vice President and the accompanying delegation will proceed to Amer Palace for a sightseeing tour lasting more than an hour and a half.
Eleven expert tourist guides will be stationed at various points within the palace to provide the guests with historical and cultural insights about the monument and the contemporary era.
The Vance family is also scheduled to visit other historic sites including the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, and Jantar Mantar on Tuesday.
Later in the day, the Vice President will deliver a speech at the US-India Business Conference at the Rajasthan International Center and will meet Governor Bagade and Chief Minister Sharma.
On Wednesday, the US Vice President will travel to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal and other monuments, returning to Jaipur the same day.
The Amer Fort and Palace will remain closed to tourists from Monday afternoon until Wednesday. Security at the fort and other monuments will be jointly supervised by US security agencies and local authorities during this period.
The Vice President’s convoy, essential equipment, and security personnel from the USA were brought in earlier via a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft last Tuesday.
A 20-vehicle convoy will support the VVIP’s movements, in addition to his official motorcade.
Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, is also expected to arrive in Jaipur on Monday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar may join from New Delhi.