23 Captivating Color Photos Of Jackie Kennedy's Trip To India

In March 1962, the First Lady took a dazzling goodwill tour of India.

Backstory: First Lady Jackie Kennedy, at the urging of the U.S. Ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith, embarked on a goodwill tour of India to help improve relations between the two nations. Stops on her trip included New Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, the Taj Mahal in Agra, Benares (with a boat ride on the Ganges River), Udaipur, and Jaipur.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

First Lady Jackie Kennedy gets a warm welcome after arriving at the airport in New Delhi.

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Meeting with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at his home.

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Jackie was accompanied on the trip by her sister Princess Lee Radziwill of Poland.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Feeding an elephant, Urvashi, in the garden of the prime minister's residence.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Jackie attends a reception in her honor at the United States Embassy in New Delhi.

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Jackie Kennedy, along with Ambassador John Galbrath, visiting different sites around New Delhi.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Observing a minute of silence after laying a sheaf of roses on the Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

At the Taj Mahal in Agra.

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Jackie worked with her longtime designer Oleg Cassini to create colorful but lightweight outfits that would help her stand out in a crowd.

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Jackie being welcomed at the Jaipur Airport by Gov. Gurmukh Nihal Singh (center).

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The Rajasthani mark on her forehead is symbol of luck and respect.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Jackie and Lee ride an elephant, Bibia, in the courtyard of Amber Palace, Jaipur.

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The photo of her and Lee on the elephant made the front pages of major papers, causing JFK to quip, "Did it have to be an elephant?!"

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Jackie feeds a horse while attending a polo match in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

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Watching the polo match with Princess Gayatri Devi.

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Jackie arriving at Udaipur.

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Jackie walks through the crowds in Udaipur,

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Jackie at a reception at Fateh Prakash Palace in Udaipur.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Jackie and Ambassador Galbrath look at objects from the medieval armory of the Maharana of Udaipur.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Jackie cruising around Pichola Lake in Udaipur.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Touring the island palace of Jag Mandir on Lake Pichola.

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Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Information via: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum