Clinton, who owns several carpets from a particular New Delhi shop, has been taught a few things about the intricacies of carpet making by Ab. Saboor and Manzoor Wangnoo - the owners of the NCE range of stores that deal in oriental rugs and shawls.

Clinton, along with wife and New York Senator Hillary Clinton, have bought many a carpet from the NCE shop in the shopping arcade of the former president's favourite New Delhi Hotel Maurya Sheraton.

"The first time he came, he spent a lot of time at our shop," said Manzoor Wangnoo, who with his partner Saboor joined dozens of people Wednesday to greet Bill Clinton as he began a three-day visit to oversee tsunami relief work in India.

This is Clinton's fourth visit in five years to the country. Hillary Clinton has visited India thrice.

"We explained to the (former) president how a carpet is made and what the relevance of all the different knots is. We told him how to tell which is a good carpet," Saboor told IANS.

"That's how he learnt to differentiate between carpets and their house has many of our carpets. The Clintons are like friends to us."

NCE shops are at various luxury hotels like the Hyatt Regency, Le Meridien, Park Royal-Inter-Continental in New Delhi and the WelcomHeritage Gurkha Houseboats in the Kashmir Valley.

"The Clintons have a true love for fine rugs," said Wangnoo.

"And we are happy to say that we helped them recognize the importance and intricacies of rugs from our country. It is a great honour to have friends and customers like them."