Ahead of LS poll results, Modi to meditate at Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meditate at Rock Memorial, a monument built in tribute to Swami Vivekananda, in Kanyakumari following the culmination of the Lok Sabha polls campaign on May 30, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said on Tuesday.

He 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 Modi -- is believed to have had a divine vision about 'Bharat Mata', they said.

The prime minister had gone on a similar meditation exercise in a Kedarnath cave after the 2019 poll campaign.

Party functionaries said Modi's decision to pick the spot in Kanyakumari for his spiritual sojourn underscores his commitment to bringing to fruition Vivekananda's vision for the country.

He has been sounding confident about returning to power for a third term after the votes are counted on June 4. The last phase of polling is scheduled for June 1. Campaigning for polls ends two days before elections.

The rock, where the prime minister will meditate, had a major impact on Vivekananda's life and holds a similar significance in the monk's life as Sarnath for Gautam Buddha, they said.

It was here that Vivekananda arrived after wandering across the country, meditated for three days and had a vision for a developed India, they said.

"Meditating at the same place shows Prime Minister Modi's commitment to bringing Swami ji's vision of a Viksit Bharat to life," a BJP leader said, adding that the place is also referred in holy texts as the site of Goddess Parvati's meditation for Lord Shiva.

The venue is the southernmost tip of India.

It is where the eastern and the western coastlines meet, the BJP leaders said, noting that it is also the meeting point of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

"Prime Minister Modi is giving a signal of national unity by going to Kanyakumari," a leader said, adding that it also shows his deep commitment and affection for Tamil Nadu that he is visiting the state even after the elections are over.