Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tributes to Swami Prakasananda, president of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, during his visit to Sivagiri Madhom at Varkala on Tuesday.— Photo: S. Mahinsha
Amidst sloganeering by a group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers akin to a party rally and in the presence of a motley crowd, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the Maha Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru and Saradha Madhom at Sivagiri on Tuesday evening.
Except for Mr. Modi offering prayers at the Maha Samadhi and Saradha Madhom and unveiling the plaque to mark the centenary of Daiva Dasakam written by the Guru, the entire function had almost all the trappings of a party rally where a group of activists received him from within the barricades with slogans and loud cheers. The 45-minute whirlwind visit began with Mr. Modi reaching Sivagiri by helicopter from Kollam by 4.35 p.m. Swami Sankarananda, Swami Visalananda and a group of BJP leaders received the Prime Minister at the helipad.
Mr. Modi was then escorted to the Maha Samadhi, where he paid floral tributes to the Guru and from there he reached the precincts of the Saradha Madhom by 5.05 p.m. Swami Saradananda received Mr. Modi and took him to the Madhom, where he first planted a sapling to mark his visit and then unveiled the plaque on which the verses of Daiva Dasakam have been inscribed in English and Malayalam. Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust president Swami Prakasananda; secretary Swami Ritambarananda; Swami Sookshmananda; Swami Parananda; Swami Visudhananda; and Swami Sachidananda also accompanied Mr. Modi to the Saradha Madhom to offer prayers. Mr. Modi was seen affectionately holding the hand of Swami Prakasananda on moving to the Saradha Madhom.
At 5.10 p.m., he addressed the gathering comprising party activists as well as a group of men and women for five minutes.
The brief address, translated by BJP State president V. Muraleedharan, was over by 5.15 p.m. He then stepped down, walked down to the motorcade, waiving hands at the party workers and the crowd assembled there amidst applause and left by 5.20 p.m.