Prime Minister Narendra Modi with monks at Belur Math.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Burnpur after visiting Dakshineshwar temple and Belur Math this morning. He was accompanied by Governor KN Tripathi and Union minister Babul Supriyo.
At Burnpur, he is visiting the IISCO steel plant.
The Prime Minister's association with the Ramkrishna Mission goes back a long way - he had visited the Belur Math and requested to join the order at a very young age. His request had been turned down since he was underage.
He made two more attempts later -- the last one in 1966 in Gujarat's Rajkot, where he met Swami Atmasthanand, who then headed the Ramakrishna Centre there.
On Saturday evening, PM Modi met Swami Atmasthananda, now the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission president. The monk, who is ailing, is at a hospital run by the order.
During their meeting, PM Modi referred to the monk as Guruji, touching his feet and asking for his blessing. To his question of "Kem cho?" meaning how are you, in Gujarat, the Swami replied "Saru Che (I'm good)".
Located on the eastern bank of river Hooghly, the Dakshineshwar temple is dedicated to 'Bhavatarini', an aspect of goddess Kali. The temple was built by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali in 1855.