The Rudra meditation cave, where PM Modi meditated, has been pre-booked for 78 days
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 17-hour meditation at a Kedarnath cave in May has led to a surge in bookings of the chamber and has been pre-booked for the first time, according to official figures .
From one booking before the Prime Minister's visit to a whopping 78 now - the Rudra meditation cave has now become a tourist attraction with people lining up to book their spots. The cave is maintained by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam.
A day before the last phase of the mammoth national elections, PM Modi visited Uttarakhand's Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines. Dressed in saffron robes, he was photographed meditating in the holy cave near the Kedarnath shrine.
Seated on a bed and propped by a pillow, 68-year-old PM Modi's pictures of meditation were widely shared on social media.
The cave, now rechristened as the "Modi cave" virtually, has an attached bathroom and a window overlooking the Kedarnath shrine. A phone has been installed in the cave which can be used by the guest in case of an emergency. Water, electricity, heater and meals are also provided to the guests.
PM Modi had said that he was totally cut off from the world when he was inside the cave. "There was just was a small window through which I could see the Kedarnath temple. No communication with the world," he had said.
Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said that the surge in booking is "great for the tourism in the country."
The caves can be booked for Rs 1500 for an overnight stay and Rs 999 for a stay between 6am to 6pm.