Modi calls on ailing Swami Atmasthananda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called on the ailing Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission president Swami Atmasthananda at a hospital run by the order, referring to the nonagenarian as "Guruji" during his short visit.

"Swami Atmasthananda wasn't able to speak for quite some time, but miraculously, he and Modi spoke fluently in Gujarati today," a monk at Ramakrishna Mission (RKM), Swami Satyadevananda said.

Even as Modi touched the feet of the senior monk in respect asking "Kem cho?" (How are you), the head monk replied "Saru Che (I'm good)".

"Swamiji, who was surrounded by top monks of the order and other sevaks (volunteers) of RKM, recognised Modi instantly. Throughout their meeting he was lying down on the bed while Modi sat beside him on a chair," Satyadevananda said.

He said Modi asked for 'prasad' from RKM in Belur and was presented a dhoti and shawl by Atmasthananda.

Modi met the ailing chief monk at Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratisthan, a hospital run by the Mission in south Kolkata.

Swami Atmasthananda is undergoing treatment at the hospital since February 21.

Their camaradie go back to the early days of Modi when he wanted to enlist RKM as a volunteer but Atmasthananda, who then was posted in Gujarat, suggested Modi to look for an alternative career.

In his youth, Modi had wanted to be a monk of the order founded by Ramakrishna Paramhamsa but was turned away thrice.

During those days, Modi used to regularly meet Athmasthanandaji Maharaj, then deputed to the mission's Rajkot centre, but the monk told him that his calling lay elsewhere.

In 2013, the then Gujarat chief minister Modi visited the RKM's global ehadquarters Belur Math (located in Howrah district) and sought blessings from Athmasthananda.

Modi is also slated to visit Belur Math on Sunday.