After the pran-pratishtha of Ramlalla idol at Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, Govind Dev Giri Maharaj disclosed the strict lifestyle that Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed under the 11-day vishesh anushthan (special ritual).

Calling Modi one of the yug-parivartaks (era changers) and rajarshi, he said that the PM asked for a set of rules that he needed to follow to conduct the pran-pratishtha ceremony.

Giri Maharaj said that the PM was asked to observe a fast of only three days, but he did so for 11 days. “We asked him to eat one time for 11 days, but he did not eat grain for all 11 days,” the saint said.

Maharaj said that he had confirmed with the PM’s mother that Modi is accustomed to holding such fasts for 40 years. “We had asked PM not to go to foreign countries, he followed that and instead went on many pilgrimages,” he added.

The saint further disclosed that they had asked the PM to sleep on the floor for only three days, but he did so for 11 days in this cold weather.

“I remember only one such king who did so much tapa. He was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj… We have one such great man (Modi), who was sent back from the Himalayas to serve Bharat Mata,” Giri Maharaj added.