Modi reveals daily ritual of feeding peacocks, cows before work

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shared a glimpse into his morning routine, posting a video on Instagram in which he feeds peacocks and cows before leaving for the Red Fort to deliver his 80th Independence Day address. The clip, posted on Aug. 16, shows Modi in a deep red safa headgear, offering leaves to cows and grains to peacocks. “Feeding my friends every morning is a daily routine. Yesterday morning, they somehow realised I’m leaving early so they came to meet me,” the caption read.

Modi has maintained this habit for years, describing it as a personal ritual that connects him with nature. The video underscores a consistent theme in his public persona: a deliberate, nearly ascetic discipline that he often references as grounding before major state events.

His Aug. 15 speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort was the shortest in four years, lasting 75 minutes. Earlier this year, his longest address ran to 103 minutes. Over 13 appearances since 2014, the length of Modi's Independence Day speeches has varied widely, often reflecting the breadth of the policy agenda he chooses to announce.