VALLUVAR KOTTAM: Opened in 1976 in memory of the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, Valluvar Kottam is a massive auditorium, constructed on reclaimed land from an unused lake filled with the city's garbage and debris. The auditorium can seat up to 4000 people. All 1330 verses of the poet's epic - the Thirukkural, are inscribed on the granite pillars that surround the auditorium. The auditorium itself is not supported by any pillars! There is a 101-feet high temple chariot structure with a life-size image of the poet in it. The base of the chariot shows in bas-relief the 133 chapters of the Thirukkural. Over 3000 blocks of stone were used to create this memorial to Tamil culture. Open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.Closed on Fridays and National holidays.
KAMARAJ MEMORIAL HOUSE: Inaugurated on 15th July 1978, by the then Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, Kamaraj Memorial House is now a permanent gallery that showcases photographs and personal effects of Kamaraj who rose out of poverty to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (elected to the post thrice). On the ground floor is the bedroom of this bachelor, whose austere living comes across so clearly in the plain furniture that occupies the room. Leaning over the railings, one can spot yellowed volumes of 'Lok Sabha Debates', '100 Modern Lives', 'Churchill' and 'Doctor Zhivago' amongst the books lined up in the well-stocked library. Obviously, having to discontinue his schooling did not stop him from becoming a well-read man.
The Black and White photographs that adorn the walls of the Dining Hall, cover Kamaraj's life across all stages - Kamaraj at the age of five, in his youth, in middle age and in the final years. Notable among the collection are pictures of his 1954 swearing-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the first Kamaraj Ministry of 1954, the second of 1957 and the third of 1962. Photographs of Kamaraj's public life show him rubbing shoulders with stalwarts like Jawarharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Sathyamurthy, Dr S Radhakrishnan, Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Periyar, M G Ramachandran, Govind Vallabh Pant, Martin Luther King and Queen Elizabeth. Among the personal effects of Kamaraj that are on display are his spectacles, pens, a spool tape player....even a Gillette Shaving set used by him! Several pictures showcase the leader in different moods: playing Cricket, hauling the rope in at a 'Tug of War' for the Legislator's Sports Meet, drenched under the Courtallam falls, supervising relief work for flood victims, chairing meetings etc. The second floor has displays of Kamaraj's several luxuriant Felicitation Shawls.
In marked contrast are the displays of his own simple attire, his suitcases, timepiece, pens and utensils. Of special mention is the prison coat worn by him while serving term in prison in 1942. Photographs on the second floor show several personalities paying homage to the dead leader. Among those pictured are Indira Gandhi and veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan. Especially impressive is the bird's eye view of the multitude, on Mount Road (Anna Salai), who accompanied the body of their leader on his last journey. Open 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.
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