PM Modi’s post-poll meditation: From Kedarnath cave in 2019 to Kanniyakumari Rock Memorial in 2024
The Hindu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a 45-hour meditation exercise at Vivekananda Rock Memorial, facing criticism and support.
After kicking off his poll campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha election in Kanniyakumari on March 16 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to embark on a 45-hour meditation exercise at the famed mid-sea Vivekananda Rock Memorial in the Tamil Nadu city on May 30. However, this is not the first time the Prime Minister has taken up a meditation retreat.
Mr. Modi had undertaken a similar exercise in a Kedarnath cave, after the 2019 poll campaign. Dressed in a grey traditional pahari attire, Mr. Modi offered prayers for about 30 minutes and undertook a circumambulation of the Kedarnath shrine situated at the height of 11,755 feet near the Mandakini river. The Prime Minister then went inside a cave near the shrine. Draped in a saffron shawl, Mr. Modi was seen meditating at the holy cave.
Read more about the meditation cave here
Mr. Modi spent around 17 hours at a holy cave near the shrine, which is now designated as a ‘meditation camp’, known as the “Rudra Cave”, and is managed by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), a State Government enterprise.
The media covered the visit, highlighting Mr. Modi’s emphasis on “spiritualism, cultural heritage, and his personal faith”. Coming right after the elections, the Opposition leaders and critics had questioned the “political stunt intended to garner votes by appealing to religious sentiments”.
Mr. Modi 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 Mr. Modi — meditated.
The PM is also likely to offer prayers at the famous Sri Bhagavathy Amman temple in Kanyakumari. Ahead of his departure on June 1, Mr. Modi is likely to visit the Thiruvalluvar statue, a towering 133 ft sculpture erected for the Tamil bard. The complex is located adjacent to the rock memorial.
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