Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed his spiritual journey to South Indian temples on Sunday with a visit to the Shri Ram Temple at Arichal Munee. Modi had already visited temples in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala earlier in the week. On Saturday night, he stayed in Rameswaram, and on Sunday morning, he visited the Arichal Munee temple, where the legend says that Lord Rama built a bridge to Sri Lanka.
Modi offered prayers at the temple and performed a ritual called “pranayam” on the beach. He also offered flowers at the seashore and at a pillar that bears the national emblem. After visiting the Arichal Munee temple, Modi flew to Madurai and then to New Delhi. Temple priests said that Modi took a “kalsh” of holy water from Tamil Nadu with him.
Modi’s visit to the South Indian temples was seen as a way to connect with the Hindu community ahead of the upcoming inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.