Kanyakumari: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a 48-hour meditation session at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on Thursday. The PM will begin his meditation session at Dhyan Mandapam, the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated in 1892. The rock memorial was built to pay tribute to the Hindu philosopher-saint.
Before the results of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi had undertaken a similar spiritual journey in Uttarakhand. At that time, he was also photographed meditating in a holy cave near Kedarnath.
Why Vivekananda Rock Memorial?
During the 125th anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore, Chennai, PM Modi had said that the philosophy of his government is inspired by Swami Vivekananda.
He said, “Our governance philosophy is also inspired by Swami Vivekananda. Whenever privileges are broken, and equality is ensured, society progresses. Today, you can see the same approach in all our flagship programmes.” He said, “Earlier, even basic amenities were treated like a privilege. Many people were deprived of the benefits of progress. Only a select few or small groups were allowed to avail it. But now the doors of development have been opened for all.”
A BJP leader said, “Meditating at the same place shows Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to realising Swamiji’s dream of a developed India. He is giving a signal of national unity by going to Kanyakumari.”
Two thousand policemen will be deployed
Around 2,000 policemen have been deployed in the area during PM Modi’s stay. The PM is expected to stay in Kanyakumari from Thursday evening till June 1. The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy have been asked to keep a strict vigil.
What is Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Located close to the monolithic statue of Tamil saint Tiruvalluvar on the banks of Kanyakumari, this rock has been considered a sacred place since ancient times. It was built by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s visit to “Sripada Parai” for meditation and enlightenment on 24, 25 and 26 December 1892.