Three Wise Monkeys for Donald Trump: A Marble Gift from Sabarmati Ashram
On 24–25 February 2020, President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump paid their first official visit to India. Their host was Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi, and one of the key stops was Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)—once Gandhi’s residence and today a museum. There, after touring the exhibits, signing the guest book and a brief charkha (spinning wheel) demonstration, a commemorative gift was presented.
The Gift: a Marble “Three Wise Monkeys”
The presentation took place on 24 February 2020 at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a set of white, marble “Three Wise Monkeys” on a black pedestal, while Donald and Melania Trump listened to the explanation of the symbolism.
Under the red cloth was a marble replica of the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” motif. The set consists of three figures joined by a shared white marble base, placed on a black plinth.
Figure height: approx. 9 inches each (9 in = 22.86 cm).
Material: white marble (official communications do not specify the variety; in India, similar works often use Makrana marble — a plausible but unconfirmed hypothesis).
Order of gestures (left to right): speak-no-evil (mouth) → see-no-evil (eyes) → hear-no-evil (ears).
Weight/technical parameters: not disclosed in government or museum materials.
Andrea Hanks / The White House — Public Domain (U.S.). Source: Wikimedia Commons (White House Flickr), no endorsement.
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Why this motif?
Gandhi once owned a small ceramic figurine of the three monkeys (according to accounts, received in 1933 from a Japanese monk). Over time, the symbol became linked to his ethos and entered Indian iconography. Today, a larger outdoor installation of the three monkeys stands on the grounds of Sabarmati Ashram—and it is this installation that modern, “diplomatic” replicas given to guests refer to.
It is worth noting that the order of gestures in the set presented to Donald Trump (mouth → eyes → ears) matches the arrangement seen in the Ashram installation. By contrast, during a meeting in the same place in 2017, Prime Minister Modi presented a similar set to Shinzō Abe—photos show a different order of the figures. It is therefore likely that different series of replicas exist.
Sabarmati Ashram — the setting of a symbolic gesture
The ashram on the Sabarmati River served Gandhi as both home and the base of the satyagraha movement (“holding fast to truth”); from here the Salt March set out in 1930. Today the museum conducts educational work and safeguards his legacy. Choosing this site for the gift presentation creates a continuity of memory: a tribute to Gandhi combined with an object that refers to his favourite symbol.
Seeking confirmations and additions
If you have information, photos or sources, please write to us. We’ll gladly update—and, if needed, correct—the article. We’re especially looking for answers to:
Where is the set now that was gifted to Donald Trump in 2020? In a private collection, U.S. government archives/collections, or elsewhere?
Which exact marble variety was used, and who made it (workshop, sculptor)?
Are the figures permanently bonded to the black base, or are they separate modules?
Have other leaders (besides Shinzō Abe in 2017) received similar sets, and what was the gesture order?
Are there official technical specs (height/weight of the base, surface finish, place of stonework)?
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