Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his remarkable 45-hour meditation retreat at the tranquil shores of Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu on Saturday. The PM embarked on this spiritual journey as part of a visit to Kanniyakumari, where he engaged in meditation at the Dhyan Mandapam, the very site where revered Hindu philosopher Swami Vivekananda is believed to have experienced a divine vision of ‘Bharat Mata’.
This spiritual endeavor coincided with the culmination of polling for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Known for his spiritual proclivities, PM Modi traditionally undertakes such journeys at the conclusion of election campaigns. Notably, in 2019, he visited Kedarnath, and in 2014, he made a pilgrimage to Shivaji’s Pratapgarh.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister performed the ‘Surya Arghya’ ritual during sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, an emblematic site synonymous with spiritual reverence. Engaging in this spiritual practice, PM Modi offered salutations to the Almighty, symbolized in the form of the sun, by pouring water from a traditional vessel into the sea as an offering (Arghya). Clad in saffron attire, he devoutly prayed using his prayer beads (Japa mala).
Additionally, PM Modi paid floral tributes to a statue of Swami Vivekananda and took a contemplative stroll around the mandapam with his ‘japa mala’ in hand.
Situated at the Southernmost tip of India, Kanniyakumari is renowned for its breathtaking sunrise and sunset vistas. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial, nestled on a tiny islet near the shoreline, holds historical and spiritual significance as it marks the confluence of India’s Eastern and Western coastlines, along with the meeting point of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea.
