Modi’s meditation cave—the new tourist hotspot in Uttarakhand

The Rudra Cave in Kedarnath, visited by Indian PM Narendra Modi, is fast becoming a tourist hotspot. Yes, that is what the numbers are saying. According to official figures, the cave has been pre-booked for the first time.

From a dismal booking of one to two till some time back, bookings for the cave have now grown by manifolds. Since its opening to the public for the first time in 2018, it is the first time that tourists have started booking in advance, touching the figures of 19 for September and 10 for October.
In May 2019, PM Modi spent a day meditating in the Rudra Cave, which is located barely a km from the famous Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand. The cave is now attracting a deluge of tourists and is maintained by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN). As per the latest reports, the cave has received four bookings in the month of May, followed by 28 for June, 10 for July, 8 for August, 19 for September, and 10 for October.

Referring to this, a GMVN official said that they expect the number of bookings for September and October to continue to go up till Diwali when it is extremely cold. The cave can now be booked for INR 1500 for night stay and INR 999 for stays between 6 AM to 6 PM.
Facilities available in Rudra Cave

As the cave is situated in a remote location and is meant to encourage meditation, only one person is allowed to be in the meditation cave at a time. Although the cave offers complete isolation, a phone has been installed inside and can be used by visitors during an emergency.

Also, the cave has drinking water, electricity, an attached heater and toilet for visitors. They will also get morning tea, breakfast, lunch, evening tea, and dinner. If an occupant wants, meal timings can also be altered. The cave also has an attached bell, which can be used to call an attendant; 24x7 staff has been deputed for guests too.