As the gruelling campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections came to an end, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand for a two-day trip.
Prayed at the Kedarnath Temple. Har Har Mahadev! pic.twitter.com/ox7LMCZmfi
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 18, 2019
Meanwhile, news agency ANI posted some pictures of the prime minister on his way to the famous Kedarnath temple.
Visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering prayers at Kedarnath temple. #Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/9dtnL0rX6I
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2019
The red carpet at the temple site stood out – and the reactions were swift.
Is it #Cannes2019 ?
— Niraj Bhatia | #NYAYforIndia (@bhatia_niraj23) May 18, 2019
Why is the red carpet treatment at Baba #Kedarnath temple for a man who has admitted of living major part of life like a Sanyasi ! pic.twitter.com/y9SWwiXOgN
Glad @narendramodi ji visiting Kedarnath in order to heal after a vitriolic election campaign but PM must know that Lord Shiva leads an austere life like a true ascetic. Shiva Purana beautifully narrates the simplicity of Shiva by citing the wedding ceremony of Shiva & Paravati. https://t.co/m8A8zs02uq
— Sadhavi Khosla🇮🇳 (@sadhavi) May 18, 2019
1) How ordinary people visit Kedarnath Mandir.
— History of India (@RealHistoryPic) May 18, 2019
2) How a gareeb aadmi visit Kedarnath Mandir.
(2019) pic.twitter.com/LmFwhAljN2
World-renowned Actor Narendra Modi attends Cannes Film Festival in Kedarnath Temple. (2019) pic.twitter.com/LQTnF4y9mL
— Chicha علی Vaidya (@AuntyHindutva) May 18, 2019
There were comments on the prime minister’s sartorial style as well.
This is my second fav Modi costume after his stunning monogram suit. So so proud to have the most fashion forward PM. Modi, is Ab Fab pic.twitter.com/LGRqGtZdST
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) May 18, 2019
And about what might have necessitated the red carpet.
The red carpet was essential to save the flowing silken robe of our Lama ji. https://t.co/LlSAjPzIhe
— SonaliRanade (@sonaliranade) May 18, 2019
Later, the news agency ANI released some more pictures, which, it said, were of the prime minister meditating in a holy cave near Kedarnath. This led to immediate reactions, mostly based on Modi’s well-known love for the camera.
All the greatest rishis of old had full camera crews in their caves as they meditated https://t.co/yRup7wpFAv
— Mihir Sharma (@mihirssharma) May 18, 2019
New age meditation pioneered by Modi,which involves a 5 star cave with plenty of photo ops for the folks back home. https://t.co/XyH223iSMb
— Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) May 18, 2019
Modiji is trolling us massively https://t.co/7irwiBhQ5E
— Veena Venugopal (@veenavenugopal) May 18, 2019
First he took a cameraman to meet his mother , now he takes a cameraman to meditate in a cave. Fellow is the perfect participant for Big Boss
— Sid (@sidmtweets) May 18, 2019
can you pls help him @BeingSalmanKhan ?
The camera angle kept coming up with other photographs as well.
Modi ji praying to Lord Camera while Lord Shankara be like... pic.twitter.com/D1aiYcEMwp
— Don Tippler (@MrTippler) May 18, 2019
Others noted that while campaigning may have officially ended, the prime minister had seized the opportunity to grab some eyeballs and send a political message across.
मगर चुनावी अभियान तो खत्म हो गया ना @ECISVEEP ? जियो मोदीजी । https://t.co/Md2fGcBhcd
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) May 18, 2019
In PM Modi's attire in Kedarnath, a message to Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 18, 2019
Read @ANI story | https://t.co/j7iqvoi0Eh pic.twitter.com/9DUMicq9iz
Earlier in the day, the prime minister also posted a short video on Twitter.
Reviewing aspects of the ongoing Kedarnath Development Project. pic.twitter.com/bVOFnCozug
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 18, 2019
The video prompted some BJP supporters to tweet their appreciation of the prime minister’s work ethic, with some mild ribbing from others.
With a change of costume between aarti and review. Such good taste, too - colours to match surroundings. https://t.co/WPUmKKhXVB
— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) May 18, 2019
This looks like a bunch of boys pretending to talk after their moms walk in on them while they were watching porn. https://t.co/63qUTT9xqD
— JNU वाली लड़की (@JNUkiLadki) May 18, 2019
The ubiquitous presence of the cameramen from ANI or Asian News International, India’s biggest television-news agency, also came in for a fair number of comments.
मैं, मेरी तनहाई और ANI pic.twitter.com/RrF2L0bzK3
— Varun Santhosh (@santvarun) May 18, 2019
Massive respect for @ANI . They clicked Narendra Modi Meditating before Narendra Modi started Meditating pic.twitter.com/jo5eQ195Vz
— Joy (@Joydas) May 18, 2019
3:17 pm: PM Modi IS meditating. Click.
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) May 18, 2019
4:10 pm: PM Modi will begin his mediation in a few hours. He was just posing for the camera on ANI's special request. pic.twitter.com/tfDHTkgutB
Quick response to Twitter criticism
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) May 18, 2019
Forgive my ignorance as a foreigner but is ANI the PMO’s press office/officer.
— Tenzing Lamsang (@TenzingLamsang) May 18, 2019
Very impressive updates on the govt and good defense of PM/govt on all issues. https://t.co/jXVRsqT9nq
Earlier, Modi posted some pictures on Twitter, on his way to Kedarnath, prompting some humour about the digital camera he had claimed in an interview he possessed in the late-1980s.
Wow, wonderful photography. Which camera?
— Deepal.Trivedi (@DeepalTrevedie) May 18, 2019
Hope not ther digital one you had in 1988. https://t.co/GgLwxK3l74