Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday completed a 45-hour meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial here and said he felt divine energy.
After completing his meditation, Modi, dressed in white, visited the 133-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar statue next to the rock memorial and laid a huge wreath there as a mark of respect. The Prime Minister reached the statue site by ferry and then was taken to the shore by ferry.
BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a post on ‘X’, wrote, “After meditating at Vivekananda rock memorial, PM @narendramodi wrote: “Visited ‘Vivekananda Rock Memorial’ in Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India and felt its divine energy.” The PM further said, “It is on this rock that Mother Parvati and Swami Vivekananda meditated. Later, Eknath Ranade transformed this rock into ‘Sila Smarak’, embodying the thoughts of Swami Vivekananda.”
Swami Vivekananda, the leader of spiritual revival, is my ideal, my energy and my source of spirituality. Many years ago, Swami Vivekananda meditated here after traveling across the country and envisioned a new direction for the revival of India.
Today, when India embodies the values and ideals of Swami Vivekananda, I am fortunate that after so many years, I too had the opportunity to meditate at this sacred place.
This meditation on “Sila Smarak” is one of the unforgettable moments of my life. Sitting at the feet of “Ma Bharati”, I once again reaffirmed my resolve to always dedicate every moment of my life and every part of my body in the service of the nation.
I wish the development of the nation and happiness of its people and offer my utmost respect to “Ma Bharati”.
The Prime Minister left for Thiruvananthapuram by helicopter and from there flew to Delhi. After arriving in Delhi on May 30, he offered prayers at the Bhagavathi Amman Temple and then reached the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
During his stay at the monument, the Prime Minister meditated and performed ‘Surya Argya’, a ritual associated with spiritual discipline, at sunrise. PM Modi wore a saffron coloured outfit while meditating at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Kanyakumari to perform the meditation had sparked opposition from voters across India, including from Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK party. The opposition was over the broadcast of the meditation in view of the final phase of polls on June 1.
Following the Prime Minister’s visit, DMK leader and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan on May 31 claimed that tourists had been barred from the area, severely impacting local businesses, and “we have been pointing out that this is not good.” Tamil Nadu Congress leader K Selvaperuntagai told reporters on Saturday that meditators were meditating alone and peacefully without any disturbance. “How can you meditate in front of 14 cameras? Is this meditation? This is election-focused meditation,” the party leader alleged. He accused PM Modi of trying to tarnish the reputation of spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda by acting against his legacy, calling it “reprehensible.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed (PTI)
