Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to embark on a spiritual retreat at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanniyakumari from May 30 to June 1, marking the conclusion of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to sources within the Tamil Nadu Police, Modi will arrive at the iconic rock memorial and engage in meditation throughout the duration, drawing parallels to the revered site where Swami Vivekananda is believed to have found spiritual solace and encountered the vision of ‘Bharat Mata.’
Sources suggest that Prime Minister Modi's decision to choose this location carries multiple significances, including a gesture of unity and goodwill towards Tamil Nadu. It is pertinent to recall that Modi this time paid more focus in Tamil Nadu during his campaign making multiple visits to the Dravidian heartland. Situated at the southernmost tip of the Indian mainland, Kanniyakumari holds geographical importance as the convergence point of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. Moreover, it holds a significant place in Hindu mythology as the spot where Goddess Parvati undertook intense meditation to win the favor of Lord Shiva, standing on one foot.
The commencement of Modi's silent retreat coincides with the onset of the seventh and final phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, with voting scheduled for June 1 across seven states and one Union territory, including Chandigarh.
Modi's forthcoming visit to Kanniyakumari also evokes memories of his past spiritual sojourns, such as his visit to Kedarnath following the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where he famously meditated in a humble abode. Similarly, his visit to Pratapgarh, associated with the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, marked the conclusion of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
