Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on May 30, ahead of India's Lok Sabha poll results which will be declared on June 4. He is speculated to stay there for two days, to meditate at the renowned Vivekananda Rock Memorial, which is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda. As per reports, Modi will reach Kanyakumari on May 30 and will head to the memorial on May 31, for a day-long meditation. Even before, he had meditated in places like Kedarnath before the counting for 2019's Lok Sabha elections. Before leaving for his historic address at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893, it is believed that Swami Vivekananda meditated on this rock, because of which the spot was named after him.
What's special about the spot?
The Vivekananda Rock Memorial, designed by the renowned architect Eknath Ranade, is located in the sea on an island rock, amidst the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. It's a popular spot for tourists to enjoy its stunning sunrise and sunset. It consists of the Vivekananda Mandapam, which houses a bronze statue of Vivekananda and the Shripada Mandapam, which enshrines footprints believed to be of Goddess Kanyakumari. Many spiritually inclined people visit the spot seeking solace and meditation. The area also has a functioning lighthouse, frequented by tourists.
How to reach the island?
Visitors access the memorial via a short boat ride, operated by local authorities. It is available from early morning to late afternoon. Interestingly, the ticket for the boat ride also includes entry to the memorial and nearby tourist spots.
