On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, his 1988 spiritual journey to Kailash Mansarovar has resurfaced as a defining chapter in his life.
Rare photographs and detailed recollections shared by Modi Archive, a social media handle dedicated to preserving his legacy, have drawn attention to a trek marked by endurance, faith, and quiet leadership.
In 1988, Narendra Modi, then a dedicated BJP functionary, joined a group of 200 selected yatris across eight batches for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage revered by Hindus.
Rather than opt for the assistance of horses, PM Modi chose to complete the entire 15-day trek on foot, braving steep ascents, unpredictable weather, and the thinning Himalayan air.
“His calm persistence and refusal to take shortcuts left a lasting impression on his fellow pilgrims,” the PM Modi Archive noted. “He consistently reached rest stops before others, becoming a quiet symbol of strength.”
Leadership in Moments of Crisis
During one critical moment at Dolma Pass, one of the highest and most difficult points of the journey, the group realised they had forgotten a diya for the evening prayer.
PM Modi, unfazed, lit one from his own supply, leading the Aarti of Lord Shiva while the rest of the group joined in devotion. This act of presence and presence of mind became a lasting memory for those present.
The pilgrimage also exposed PM Modi to the harsh realities faced by communities living in remote Himalayan regions.
Deeply moved by the poverty and suffering he witnessed, experiences that echoed his earlier years as an RSS pracharak, he returned with a reinforced commitment to ‘Seva’ (service) as a lifelong value.
The PM Modi Archive reflected, “This yatra tested every physical, mental, and spiritual limit. Yet it revealed a truth that would shape his life: true leadership rises where the challenge is greatest.”
As India celebrates ‘Seva is the Resolve, India First the Inspiration’, the official theme marking PM Modi’s 75th birthday, the echoes of that Himalayan journey remain clear, a symbol of grit, grace, and purpose.
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