Ahead of PM Modi's Kanyakumari trip, his 33-year-old picture from Rock Memorial surfaces

New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to mark the end of a hectic poll campaign and head to Kanyakumari on Thursday, for a two-day meditation at the iconic Vivekananda Rock Memorial.

Ahead of PM Modi’s visit to down south, his 33-year-old pictures from the iconic spot surfaced on social media on Thursday and took the netizens by storm.

The pictures dated December 11, 1991, are from Ekta Yatra that commenced from the iconic Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari and ended in Kashmir. In the viral pictures, all the ‘Ekta Yatris’ including Narendra Modi and party veteran Dr Murli Manohar Joshi can be seen circumambulating the statue of Swami Vivekananda to pay their respects.

Notably, the Ekta Yatra, also termed as the Unity March was launched in December 1991 from Kanyakumari and culminated on January 26, 1992, with the hoisting of the national flag in Srinagar.

The Ekta Yatra was led by veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi while Narendra Modi, then a BJP worker, served as a key pivot in organising the march.

The goal of the Yatra was to send a strong message to the world that India would stand firm and united against the forces of terror. The journey spanning 14 states resonated deeply with the people and showed the country’s unwavering commitment to national unity.

Starting from May 30-June 1, PM Modi is set to undertake 48-hour meditation at Dhyan Mandapam, the spot where Swami Vivekananda meditated in 1892. The Rock Memorial monument was built to pay tribute to the Hindu philosopher-saint.

It is said that Swami Vivekananda after wandering across the country meditated here for three days and attained a vision for a developed India.

PM Modi had undertaken a similar spiritual journey after the culmination of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. His visit to Uttarakhand after the high-octane campaign and meditation inside a cave near the Kedarnath shrine drew global headlines.