PM Modi goes traditional, wears 'mundu' and 'angavastram' for Kerala visit

Thrissur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted for the traditional attire of Kerala for a visit to the state's Thrissur on Saturday.

Modi was clad in a white 'mundu' and cream half-sleeved shirt on his arrival at Thrissur, in sync with leaders belonging to the state who received him.

He had arrived in Kochi in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

The Prime Minister soon left for Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur by road. As per rules, men have to wear 'mundus' to enter the holy abode and for the top, they can either remain bare-chested or opt for a 'melmundu'.

Dressed in hues of white from top to bottom, at the temple, Modi performed 'thulabharam' - an act of weighing oneself against a particular article, ranging from flowers to eatables, and donating it.

However, even after performing the rituals Modi decided to stick to Kerala's traditional clothing, a change from his usual kurta and taut and churidaars.

While addressing BJP workers, the leader opted for the same cream half-sleeved shirt and white 'mundu' and also had a 'angavastram' with red and green borders on his left shoulder.

Modi gave out a clear message of affection for the state by choosing the attire, however, he didn't solely depend on his sartorial choices.

While addressing BJP workers of the state, where his party drew a blank in Lok Sabha polls, Modi said, "Those who made us win are ours, those who did not make us win are also ours. Kerala is as much mine as is Varanasi."

On the other hand, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, for whom Kerala's Wayanad was the only saving grace in national polls, wore his staple white 'kurta-pyjama' for a visit to his constituency.

Parallel to Modi's temple visit, Gandhi held a road show in Wayanad's Kalpetta where he accused the Prime Minister of using "poison of hatred to divide the society".

The Prime Minister will proceed for his visit to the Maldives, a day after which he is slated to be in Sri Lanka.