Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kanyakumari for meditation. He arrives for a day-long meditation at Vivekananda Rock. It is reported that the Prime Minister will reach Kanyakumari in the evening of 30th of this month and will go to Vivekananda rock on 31st morning. It is indicated that he will return on June 1. The police said that if he decided to continue meditation, he would stay at Vivekananda Para. Vivekananda rock is situated at a distance of 500 meters towards the sea from Vavathurai Cape in Kanyakumari.
Vivekananda rock where it is believed that Swami Vivekananda swam across the sea to pray. Kanyakumari is a favorite place for tourists. This is one of the two rocks lying in the sea. He came to Kanyakumari after the All-Religious Conference in Chicago. On that day, he swam about five hundred meters and reached one of the rocks here and spent three days there. He spent time at Kanyakumari on 23rd, 24th and 25th December 1892. The rock where he spent that time is known as Vivekananda rock.
A fusion of ancient and modern styles of sculpture is seen here. It can also be called Tamil-Bengal sculptural styles. The main mandapam is similar to that of the Sri Ramakrishna Temple at Belur. But the entrance bears resemblance to the sculptures of the Ajanta Ellora caves. There is a perfect statue of Swamiji here. Made by Sitaram Arte Enni Shilpi. Also called Sripada Parayen, this rock is believed to have been blessed by Goddess Kanyakumari with her own foot, the Goddess’s foot is known as Sripadam. The statue of Vivekananda Swami is built in such a way that it falls on this pada. The main structures here are Sripada Mandapam, Garbhagraha, Inner and Outer, Vivekananda Mandapam, Dhyana Mandapam, Mukha Mandapam and Sabha Mandapam. In the Dhyana Mandapam, visitors can sit in meditation
The precious treasure of Sangha Swayamsevak is the southernmost point of India, the only place on earth where three oceans meet – Kanyakumari Vivekananda Memorial Center is one of the few places where you can see the sunrise and sunset over the ocean. Legend has it that the land where the virgin goddess did penance to attract the god who resides in the Himalayas.
At Sri Padapara, two and a half furlongs from the shore, there is an inscription of a foot, believed to be that of the goddess Kanyakumari. In 1892, Swami Vivekananda meditated on this rock for three days. It was during that meditation that Swamiji took the decision to participate in the Mata Mahasammelana in Chicago and then his Digvijaya Yatra started in Chicago and lasted for a decade until Swamiji’s samadhi.
Kanyakumari’s landmark sea monument has an exciting history. A history that many cannot digest. A history that many are deliberately trying to forget. A history that those who wrote it are not interested in glorifying. The Kanyakumari region of Tamil Nadu is the stronghold of the Latin Catholic sect. Most of its fishermen belong to the Christian community. The influence of the church on elections and political decisions is very important. 1963 was the birth centenary year of Swami Vivekananda.
The Sri Ramakrishna Mission was active in discussions to build a memorial on a rock in the sea as a significant place in Swamiji’s life. It gradually became a topic of discussion in the society as well. Fearing that this venture would threaten their influence, the Church erected a cross at Sri Padapara with the efforts of organized Christian fishermen, arguing that it was Kanyakumari and not Kanyakameri. It was a good idea not to leave the place again for any reason.
Things got complicated with the arrival of the cross on the rock. Realizing that the Vivekananda memorial will remain a dream if the cross is not removed at the earliest, the RSS took up the task. Lakshmanan of Kadapuram branch in Kozhikode Vella and thirteen other volunteers were assigned for this highly adventurous mission. Lakshmana and his companions, who knew the psychology of the sea well after struggling with the sea, returned to Kanyakumari. Fifteen people, including Lakshmana, compete against hundreds of rivals to complete this task.
Rowing to the rock under cover of darkness, they broke the cross. The church is informed at dawn. The Christians gathered and re-erected the cross on the rock. Hundreds of Mukuvars guarded the rock with their boats. In the next daybreak, Lakshmana and his companions again reached the rock through the laxity of the guards and threw the cross into the sea. Lakshmana and his gang escaped by jumping into the sea and swimming ashore when the enraged opponents attacked. When the situation became complicated, the Collector and the RDO intervened and declared a prohibitory order and ordered to maintain the status quo. With that, the attempt to establish a cross there ended.
