Prime Minister Narendra Modi from May 30 till June 1, will meditate at Rock Memorial, which was built in tribute to Swami Vivekananda, in Tamil Nadus' Kanyakumari, as the campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections will come to an end. The Prime Minister will meditate from the evening of May 30 to the evening of June 1 at Dhyan Mandapam, the place where Vivekananda -- a spiritual icon admired by Modi -- is believed to have had a divine vision about 'Bharat Mata', BJP leaders said.
Significance of places where PM Modi meditated
BJP functionaries said PM Modi's decision to pick the spot in Kanyakumari for his spiritual sojourn underscores his commitment to bringing to fruition Vivekananda's vision for the country.
The rock, where the prime minister will meditate, had a major impact on Vivekananda's life and holds a similar significance in the monk's life as Sarnath for Gautam Buddha, they said.
It was here that Vivekananda arrived after wandering across the country, meditated for three days and had a vision for a developed India, they said.
"Meditating at the same place shows Prime Minister Modi's commitment to bringing Swami ji's vision of a Viksit Bharat to life," a BJP leader said, adding that the place is also referred in holy texts as the site of Goddess Parvati's meditation for Lord Shiva.
The venue is the southernmost tip of India. It is where the eastern and the western coastlines meet, the BJP leaders said, noting that it is also the meeting point of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
"Prime Minister Modi is giving a signal of national unity by going to Kanyakumari," a leader said, adding that it also shows his deep commitment and affection for Tamil Nadu that he is visiting the state even after the elections are over.
PM Modi went on similar meditation expedition in 2019 and 2014
This is not going to be the first time when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a meditation expedition. In 2019, after the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections ended, the Prime Minister went for a meditation exercise in a Kedarnath cave.
Wrapped in a saffron shawl, sitting inside the cave with his eyes shut in a pose of meditation, PM Modi's photos from 2019 had gone viral on social media.
Wearing a grey robe with a pahari cap and a saffron gamchha around his waist, the Prime Minister trekked for almost two kilometres to a holy cave near the revered Kedarnath shrine to meditate.
The cave where PM Modi meditated is called Rudra (Shiva) Cave. It's not a natural cave and was built in 2018. It's situated around a kilometre away from the Kedarnath temple.
The cave lies at a height of 12,000 feet and has facilities including room for one person, telephone, power and food. The cave was also promoted by the Uttarakhand government as a major tourist attraction for the pilgrims.
The Kedarnath temple, houses one of the 12 jyotirlingas' and has several ancient caves.
In 2014, PM Modi visited Pratapgarh in Maharashtra and paid homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji who had won a crucial battle in November 1659 after slaying Afzal Khan, the general of Adilshahi Sultans of Bijapur. His victory cleared the way for his coronation as the head of the Maratha empire which the Chhatrapati termed Hindavi Swaraj.
PM Modi has been sounding confident about returning to power for a third term after the votes are counted on June 4. The last phase of polling is scheduled for June 1.
Campaigning for polls ends two days before elections.
ALSO READ | PM Modi to meditate at Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari
