Published 17:02 IST, January 9th 2019

Here's why PM Modi left for Himalayas at the age of 17

The Prime Minister speaks about how he wanted to do something meaningful in his life, but did not know where to start, until one day he decided to go to Himalayas at the age of 17

India News
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Here's why PM Modi left for Himalayas at the age of 17

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The Humans of Bombay, an online platform for people to share their hidden stories, held an interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who opened up on a number of things in his life which were unheard till date.

In the second part of his interaction released on Instagram, the Prime Minister speaks about how he wanted to do something meaningful in his life, but did not know where to start, until one day he decided to go to Himalayas at the age of 17 with the blessings of his parents.

"I was undecided, unguided and unclear -- I didn’t know where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. But all I knew, was that I wanted to do something. So I surrendered myself to God and left for the Himalayas at the age of 17. I bid goodbye to my parents as my mother gave me a sweet dish before I left and put a tilak on my forehead to bless my journey," he said.

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(2/5)“While growing up, I had a lot of curiosity but very little clarity. I would see army men in their uniforms and think that this was the the only way to serve the country. But as my conversations with the saints and sadhus at the railway station grew deeper, I realised that this too was a world worth discovering. I was undecided, unguided and unclear -- I didn’t know where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. But all I knew, was that I wanted to do something. So I surrendered myself to God and left for the Himalayas at the age of 17. I bid goodbye to my parents as my mother gave me a sweet dish before I left and put a tilak on my forehead to bless my journey. I went wherever God wanted to take me -- it was an undecided period of my life but still, gave me so many answers. I sought to understand the world, to understand myself. I travelled far and wide, spent time at the Ramkrishna Mission, met sadhus and saints, stayed with them and began a discovery, inwards. I moved from place to place -- I had no roof above my head, but still never felt more at home. I would wake up during Brahma Mahurat, between 3 and 3:45 am, and take a bath in the freezing waters of the Himalayas, but still feel the warmth. I learnt that peace, oneness and Dhyan can be found, even in the simple sound of a waterfall. The sadhus I lived with taught me to align myself with the rhythm of the Universe. So that’s what I did -- I aligned and experienced revelations that help me till today. I realised that we’re all tied down by our thoughts and limitations. When you surrender and stand in front of the vastness -- you know that you’re a small part of a large universe. When you understand that, any trace of arrogance you have in you melts and then life truly begins. That’s when it all changed. After two years, I returned home with clarity and a guiding force to lead the way.” #TheModiStory

A post shared by Humans of Bombay (@officialhumansofbombay) on Jan 9, 2019 at 2:30am PST

READ THIS: PM Modi Narrates Mesmeric Tale Of How He Surrendered Himself To God And Left For The Himalayas Aged 17

The Prime Minister then mentioned that in his early days, he only thought that joining the army was the only way to serve the country before discovering that there are many other things to discover.

"While growing up, I had a lot of curiosity but very little clarity. I would see army men in their uniforms and think that this was the the only way to serve the country. But as my conversations with the saints and sadhus at the railway station grew deeper, I realised that this too was a world worth discovering," PM Modi added.

Updated 17:40 IST, January 9th 2019

Narendra Modi