PM Modi is well known for embarking on religious journeys after election campaigns. He has already visited Shivaji’s Pratapagarh in 2014 and Kedarnath in 2019. Image credit: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial after campaigning for the Indian Lok Sabha elections to begin a two-day meditation that will continue until June 1. PM Modi is meditating in the Dhyan Mandapam where Swami Vivekananda used to meditate.
The Prime Minister travelled to the Bhagavathi Amman temple by helicopter from near Thiruvananthapuram and after offering prayers at the temple, he took a ferry to the rock monument.
Clad in a dhoti and white shawl, PM Modi offered prayers at the shrine and then circumambulated the ‘Garbhagriha’. A framed photograph of the presiding deity and a shawl were among the temple ‘prasad’ given to the PM by the priest after performing a special ‘arti’.
After the ‘arti’, PM Modi boarded a ferry operated by a state government-controlled shipping company to the rock monument. It was at the ‘Dhyan Mandapam’ that the PM began his meditation. Before starting his meditation, the PM paused to take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding sea from the steps of the mandapam.
As a mark of respect, PM Modi scattered flowers on the photographs of Swami Vivekananda, his mother Sri Sarada Devi and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. The mandapam houses a life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda on a high pedestal. PM Modi then entered the mandapam and began his sadhana or spiritual practice.
Modi had made similar excursions in late 2014 and again in 2019, first to Shivaji’s base Pratapagarh and then to the caves near Kedarnath temple.
This will be the Prime Minister’s ninth visit to Tamil Nadu since January.
After seeing the entire country, Swami Vivekananda had a profound vision of Bharat Mata at Kanniyakumari, hence the place holds a special place in his life. The three days he spent meditating on the rock are believed to have had a profound impact on him, similar to the impact Sarnath had on Gautam Buddha.
Religious importance also derives from the belief that Goddess Parvati used to wait for Lord Shiva in one-legged meditation at this very spot.
Kanniyakumari is not only the place where the east and west coasts of India meet but also where the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea meet.
PM Modi is well known for undertaking religious trips after election campaigns and has already visited Shivaji’s Pratapagarh in 2014 and Kedarnath in 2019.
In 1893, Swami Vivekananda introduced the spiritual greatness of India to the world at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. In 1970, a monument was erected in the great monk’s honor. The monument stands on the rock where Vivekananda is said to have attained enlightenment.
Legend has it that it was at this rock that Goddess Kanniyakumari offered prayers to Lord Shiva, hence earning her an important place in Indian religion. The image of the Goddess’ feet is believed to be found in a specially preserved area of this rock.
The memorial is a fine blend of architectural styles. Tour the memorial’s two structures, the Shripada Mandapam and the Vivekananda Mandapam. Inside the compound is a life-size bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda.
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